Objective: Our purpose was to determine if abnormal amniotic fluid interleukin-6 levels correlate with pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, small-for-gestational-age fetus, and premature labor.
Study design: A case control study design was used to compare third-trimester amniotic fluid interleukin-6 levels from women with normal pregnancies (n = 25) and pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (n = 15), small-for-gestational-age perinates (n = 8), and premature labor (n = 29).
Results: Amniotic fluid interleukin-6 levels in women with preeclampsia and small-for-gestational-age perinates were less than in controls (p < 0.01). Interleukin-6 levels in women with preterm labor refractory to tocolysis were higher than those in women with preterm labor responsive to tocolysis (p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Interleukin-6 is normally present in amniotic fluid. In the third trimester of pregnancy low levels correlate with small-for-gestational-age fetuses and preeclampsia, whereas elevated levels correlate with preterm labor and delivery.