Amniotic Fluid

IMS Murah-Manoe
 Amniotic Fluid: consisting mostly water composed
primarily of fetus urine,a colorless liquid,(usually clear) &
smell sweet
. Fluid inside the membrane( amnion & chorion) that
forms a sac around the embryo & later fetus (ft).
. Fetus & placenta produce the amniotic fluid.
. The buoyant fluid helps the fetus grow uni-
formly,helps the bones & muscles develop, & allows
the fetus to move within the uterus.
. Fetus breathe this fluid in & out of their lungs in the
womb helping the lung to grow as well.
. It also keeps the amnion (membrane) from sticking to
the fetus
 Amnion and Chorion
• Amnion, the thin,transparent inner membrane (the chorion is the outer
layer) that constitutes the amniotic membranes.
• These membranes contain amniotic fluid and for a protective layer for
the fetus insulting him/her from bacteria in the vagina.
• Chorion, the outermost layer of the two fetus membranes ,which
envelope the growing fetus & serves as a protective barrier to the
fetus against infection.
• Amniotic fluid : Alpha-fetoprotein. (AFP)
Acetylcholinesterase.(AChE)
• Those AFP and AChE commonly used as assays for detecting open
neural tube defects.
 Amniotic Fluid
• Alpha-fetoprotein Assay. AF-AFP is a protein produce by
the fetal liver, the function unknown.
• It is present high concentration in fetal blood & in lower
concentration in fetal urine. Amniotic fluid AFP (AFAFP)
may be elevated in open fetal body wall defects,most
commonly open neural tube defects (NTD) and open
ventral wall defects ,due to transudation from exposed fetal
vessels and tissue. AFAFP is elevated in congenital
nephrosis from increased glomerular filtration of this
relativey small protein. In cases with elevated AFAFP, the
risk for an open NTD or other fetal abnormality depends on
the degree of elevation in the AFAFP MoM ( multiple
 Amniotic Fluid
• of the median), the results of amniotic fluid
acetylcholinesterase testing and other risk factor.
• Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) Assay- Acetylcholinesterase
is a neural enzyme present in cerebral spinal fluid and fetal
blood.AChE is not present in maternal blood and is not
normally detectable in amniotic fluid. The abnormal
presence of AChE in amniotic fluid is suggestive of an
open fetal defect. When AChE is detected, the ratio of
AChE to pseudocholinesterase (pChE), a non-specific
cholinesterase normally found in amniotic fluid, may help
distinguish open neural tube defects from open ventral wall
defects or fetal blood contaminated fluid.