The invention concerns the identification of proteomes of biological
fluids and their use in determining the state of maternal/fetal
conditions, including maternal conditions of fetal origin, chromosomal
aneuploidies, and fetal diseases associated with fetal growth and
maturation. In particular, the invention concerns the identification of
the proteome of amniotic fluid (multiple proteins representing the
composition of amniotic fluid) and the correlation of characteristic
changes in the normal proteome with various pathologic maternal/fetal
conditions, such as intra-amniotic infection, or chromosomal defects.