Surfactants and labour. Preliminary report

A review is made of the possibility that the corticoid and phosphopholipid metabolism of the foetal lung are intimately related. A study was carried out on the variations of lecithin, the L/S index and palmitic acid of the lecithin, before and during the birth among 17 patients. Significant increases were observed during the birth. In two cases which later on presented a respiratory distress syndrome there was a marked falling off of the concentrations of lecithin. It is suggested that the discrepancies observed between the prediction as to the maturity of the lung are based on the difference between the results of determinations made during the pregnancy or during the birth.