title: Follow-up of 2000 second-trimester amniocenteses.
abstract: The authors analyzed the outcome of 2000 consecutive second-trimester amniocenteses. Seventy-three percent were performed for maternal age of 34 years or more. The risk of spontaneous abortion before 28 weeks' gestation was 1.3% and for stillbirth or neonatal death, 1.4%. Total fetal loss was 2.7%, compared with 2.2% in a control population. Congenital malformations were found in 1.6% of the study group and in 1.9% of controls; no increase in skeletal problems was observed. Prematurity, defined as a birth weight of less than 2500 g, was noted in 3.6%, compared with 3.7% and 3.9% in 2 control populations. Respiratory difficulties persisting for more than 24 hours were observed in 0.8% of patients, compared with 0.7% of controls. Analyses of the outcome of amniocenteses performed at a single large center do not show an increase in perinatal complications or malformations.
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second