Hormones in amniotic fluid.

With increasing use of amniocentesis for high-risk pregnancies, measurement of amniotic fluid hormone levels could prove to be a pratical value. Protein steroid hormones as well as prostaglandins in amniotic fluid are reviewed. The source and entry of each hormone, their concentrations, and their possible physiologic role in pregnancy are discussed. Changes in the level of hormones in amniotic fluid or pregnancies with complications jeopardizing fetal well-being are referred to, and their significance is discussed. Since amniotic fluid is close to the myometrium, changes in some amniotic fluid hormones might be responsible for or associated with the onset of labor.