Selenium levels were measured in amniotic fluid samples obtained from 60 normal pregnant and 40 pre-eclamptic women closely matched for age and gestation using the hydride generation technique coupled with atomic absorption spectroscopy. The mean ± SD levels in the normal and pre-eclamptic groups were 6.8 ± 3.7 and 6.7 ± 2.2 ng/ml, respectively. The difference in the values of amniotic fluid selenium between these two groups of patients was not statistically significant (p > 0.5).