Study of neonatal gastric aspirate related to amniotic fluid and to the occurrence of the idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome.

The lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (L/S) has been shown to be of use in the prediction of the idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (I.R.D.S) when performed on amniotic fluid. Gastric contents at birth consist mainly of amniotic fluid. Our study was designed to determine what the relationship was between the L/S ratios of amniotic fluid and gastric aspirate obtained at birth and to examine whether the L/S ratios of gastric aspirate was of any value in the prediction of I.R.D.S.