718
Letters FETAL DISTRESS,
to
the Editor
MECONIUM, AND MOTILIN
increased intestinal motility, SIR,-Fetal asphyxia which may result in the passage of meconium in utero.’ Although this event has important pathophysiological significance little is known on its aaiology: our studies on the upperintestinal gut hormone, motilin, may provide some new clues. causes
Using a sensitive radioimmunoassay,2 we have measured umbilical cord venous plasma-motilin in 20 term neonates delivered normally and in 8 term infants who had intrauterine evidence of fetal distress, shown by at least two persistent abnormalities of fetal heart pattern; 5 of the 8 infants had passed meconium before birth. Infants with fetal distress had a fourfold elevation of cord plasma-motilin (Mann Whitney ranksum
Letters FETAL DISTRESS,
to
the Editor
MECONIUM, AND MOTILIN
increased intestinal motility, SIR,-Fetal asphyxia which may result in the passage of meconium in utero.’ Although this event has important pathophysiological significance little is known on its aaiology: our studies on the upperintestinal gut hormone, motilin, may provide some new clues. causes
Using a sensitive radioimmunoassay,2 we have measured umbilical cord venous plasma-motilin in 20 term neonates delivered normally and in 8 term infants who had intrauterine evidence of fetal distress, shown by at least two persistent abnormalities of fetal heart pattern; 5 of the 8 infants had passed meconium before birth. Infants with fetal distress had a fourfold elevation of cord plasma-motilin (Mann Whitney ranksum
