Second trimester chorioamniotic separation and amniocentesis.
On ultrasound, we saw 12 women with a pathological amount of chorioamniotic separation (CAS) in the second trimester. Six were examined before amniocentesis and five were scanned for unsafe dates. In one patient CAS was diagnosed the day after amniocentesis. All women were asymptomatic. Despite CAS, amniocentesis was performed in six patients. The five others served as controls. The overall pregnancy outcome was favorable. Nine delivered living term babys. One patient, with brownish discolored amniotic fluid on amniocentesis, presented with fetus mortuus in week 28. One patient delivered preterm in week 32. In the control group one woman aborted shortly after diagnosis. In no case did the CAS increase after amniocentesis. In conclusion it appears safe to perform amniocentesis in women with asymptomatic CAS, although we recommend not to pass the needle through the separated membranes.
Børlum
K G
KG
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Randers County Hospital, Denmark.
D000649:Amniocentesis; D000650:Amnion / Q000473:pathology; D002823:Chorion / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second