1H NMR as a non-invasive probe of amniotic fluid in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

Ten amniotic fluid samples obtained from third trimester pregnant women suffering from insulin dependant diabetes mellitus were analysed by 1H-NMR and compared to ten samples from a group of normal volunteers. A subset of the metabolites identified; valine, lactate, alanine, acetate, citrate and glucose were quantitated using standard addition methods. Apart from valine and citrate, a general diminution in the concentration of each of these species was found, especially glucose, in the diabetic group. The abnormally low glucose levels in the diabetic group are suggestive of infection in the patient group. However, the depressed lactate levels in the diabetic group suggest that in these cases the fetus was not subjected to stress.