Cholesterol palmitate in amniotic fluid: confirmation of a simple, rapid, inexpensive, and reliable indicator of fetal pulmonary maturity.

The cholesterol test was previously described and preliminary experience suggested it might be a rapid, inexpensive, and reliable indicator of fetal lung maturity. In this expanded series of 1342 patients delivered of infants within 72 hours of amniotic fluid analysis, the predictive value for mature test was 98.6%. Predictive value for immature test was 55.4%. For the phospholipid profile the predictive value was 97.0% for a mature test result, 31.2% for an immature result. These observations, coupled with its methodologic simplicity, make the cholesterol palmitate test a good first step in a cascade scheme of tests for fetal lung maturity and a valuable test in a facility where the phospholipid profile is not available 24 hours a day.