Enzymes in amniotic fluid.

The determination of enzyme levels in cell-free amniotic fluid has proven useful in assessing fetal maturity and fetal well being, and is being utilized for the prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders. The activities of amylase, alpha-galactosidase, phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase, lysozyme and heat-stable alkaline phosphatase in amniotic fluid increase with gestational age and have an established relationship to fetal maturity. The ratio of amniotic fluid diamine oxidase activity to maternal serum activity (amniotic DAO/serum DAO) may be used as an indicator of the degree of rhesus isoimmunization after 28 weeks gestation. Creatine phosphokinase in amniotic fluid is elevated in cases of in utero fetal death and is of diagnostic significance. The prenatal diagnosis of Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff's disease, fucosidosis, GM1-gangliosidosis and I-cell disease have been made from the analysis of appropriate enzymes in cell-free amniotic fluid.