[Effect of the vernix caseosa content in the amniotic fluid on the actual pH-value of the amniotic fluid].

To determine the eventual influence of the vernix caseosa on the actual pH-value of the amniotic fluid we compared the pH-value of 50 samples of non-filtered amniotic fluid and the pH-values of filtered portions of the same samples. The samples were taken after delivery of the fetus. We found a distinct shift of the pH-values of the filtered portions to alkaline values. It is recommended that these results should be taken into consideration in laboratory analysis of amniotic fluid.