Profile of bile acids in fetal gallbladder and meconium using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Sulfate-conjugated bile acid is found in urine, but rarely in stool. In this study, the gallbladder bile acid contained no sulfate conjugates, but these were present in intestinal contents and meconium. These results indicate that sulfate-conjugated bile acids are not excreted into the intestine through the biliary tract but originate from swallowed amniotic fluid that contains fetal urine.