title: Second trimester amniocentesis in twin pregnancies: maternal haemoglobin as a dye marker to differentiate diamniotic twins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the use of a membrane-free haemolysate prepared from maternal blood to distinguish the amniotic sacs at amniocentesis in twin gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Hospital, Groningen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Haemoglobin solution prepared from maternal blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  63 twin pregnancies having amniocentesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fetal loss before 28 weeks was 4%. There was no perinatal mortality. Dye was detected in the second sac in 9 of 24 women tested before 1985 and none of the 39 women since, no malformations could be ascribed to the use of the haemolysate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the membrane-free haemolysate is safe, but the technique will probably gradually become redundant because of improved ultrasound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Beekhuis
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: De Bruijn
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Van Lith
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mantigh
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000379:methods*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D006454:Hemoglobins