title: [376 amniocenteses performed under continuous ultrasonic control].
abstract: The authors report 376 amniocenteses carried out early and late in pregnancy under real time ultrasound at the University Clinic of St Pierre. The ability to watch the needle during the whole procedure of puncture makes it possible, as compared with amniocentesis that has been carried out without ultrasound or without real time ultrasound, to lessen significantly: perinatal mortality (0.26%), several attempts (0.9%) and the risk of accidental haemorrhage (1.6%). Particularly diminished are risks when it would be inevitable to have to put the needle through the placenta (31% of cases). The number of spontaneous abortions linked to the technique has virtually disappeared. When the operator has become very experienced in carrying out amniocentesis under real time ultrasound he becomes much more able to carry out other antenatal diagnostic procedures. Even when for certain indications amniocentesis is replaced by chorion villus biopsy in the first trimester or cord puncture in the third trimester, real-time ultrasound makes it less risky to carry out the procedures and the technique becomes a very useful one in the armamentarium of antenatal diagnostic methods.
authors.affiliation: Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Hôpital Universitaire Saint-Pierre, Haute, Bruxelles.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elkhazen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jauniaux
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chaban
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vamos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014463:Ultrasonography
vernacular_title: 376 amniocentèses sous échoguidage continu.