The University of Iowa (UIHC)
Department of Pathology
LABORATORY SERVICES HANDBOOK


Fetal Lung Maturity, TDX
Order Code: FLMX
Order Form: A-1a General Lab or IPR Req
  Chemistry
6240 RCP
356-3527
Specimen
Amniotic Fluid
Collection Medium:
Miscellaneous container; contact laboratory
Alternate
Collection Media:
Call laboratory for additional acceptable specimen collection 
containers.
Minimum:
5 ml Amniotic Fluid
3 ml (minimum)
Testing Schedule:
24 hrs/day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Analytic Time:
2 hours (upon receipt in laboratory)
Reference Range:
Immature:  < or = to 39 mg/g.  Frequency of RDS 4.2% in Abbott Study.

Intermediate:  40-54 mg/g.  Frequency of RDS 2% in Abbott Study.
               No RDS observed in study > 41 mg/g.

Mature:  > or = to 55 mg/g.  Frequency of RDS 0% in Abbott Study.
Comments:
If amniotic fluid contains bilirubin or if an indeterminant
or immature result is obtained from a sample that contains meconium or 
blood, the FLMX is cancelled and a PG (phosphatidyl glycerol) ordered.  
Patient will be charged for a PG only.
Test
Limitations:
Extreme caution should be used in the evaluation of fetal lung maturity
in cases of multiple births (twins, triplets, etc).  Samples from fetus
with kidney or urinary anomalies visible by ultrasound may give
erroneous results.  Results from these samples should be confirmed by
other test methods.
Methodology:
FPIA (Fluorescence Polarization ImmunoAssay)
CPT Code:
83663

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Updated: 04/16/2008

Note: The information contained in this handbook is for use by personnel of University of Iowa Health Care. No other use is implied or intended.