Our purpose was to investigate the amniotic fluid lamellar body count and interleukin-6 levels in women with preterm labor. The study was carried out on 50 amniotic fluid collections obtained by amniocentesis or during cesarean delivery. Concentration of lamellar body (CL) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were performed. We found significantly lower lamellar body count values in women at risk of preterm delivery before 34 weeks' gestation and elevated amniotic fluid IL-6 concentration (CL--20.81 +/- 6.73 x 103/ul, IL-6--318.3 +/- 18.7 pg/ml) when compared with pregnancies at term (CL--77.1 +/- 28 x 103/ul, IL-6--142 +/- 15.3 pg/ml).