title: Early amniocentesis: effect of removing a reduced volume of amniotic fluid on pregnancy outcome.
abstract: In mid-trimester amniocentesis (MTA), 12-15 ml of amniotic fluid is aspirated for cytogenetic analysis. When a similar volume of amniotic fluid is removed by early amniocentesis (EA), it represents a significant proportion of the total amniotic fluid volume in the first trimester. The fluid depletion, which may persist for 7 to 10 days, is considered to impair development of fetal lungs and extremities and, possibly, contribute towards procedure-related congenital abnormalities and miscarriages. By only removing 7 ml of amniotic fluid, we have demonstrated a total miscarriage rate (3.8 per cent) comparable with previous large studies (Table V), a low incidence of respiratory difficulties at birth (2.7 per cent) and a low incidence of fixed flexion deformities (1.6 per cent), at the expense of a small increase in the incidence of culture failure (2.2 per cent).
authors.affiliation: Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast, U.K.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tharmaratnam
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sadek
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nevin
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Nevin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dornan
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000653:Amniotic Fluid; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome