Early prenatal diagnosis by celocentesis.
BACKGROUND
Celocentesis is the ultrasound-guided aspiration of fluid from the extra-amniotic cavity at 7-8 weeks of gestation. This paper reports on the clinical application of celocentesis for early prenatal diagnosis.


METHODS
Celocentesis was successfully performed in nine pregnancies and 1-2 mL of fluid were obtained after one needle insertion. The indications were prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia or sickle cell disease (n = 6), Marfan syndrome (n = 1) and paternity testing (n = 2). Molecular biological techniques were used to analyze the celomic fluid and this was successfully carried out in all cases.


RESULTS
In two cases pregnancy termination was performed at the request of the mother because in one case the fetus was found to have sickle cell anemia and in the second case paternity testing demonstrated that the father was not the woman's husband. In both cases the results were confirmed using the placental samples collected after pregnancy termination. In six of the seven pregnancies with desirable results, amniocentesis was performed at 16 weeks and the results were concordant with those obtained from celocentesis. All pregnancies were uneventful and resulted in the delivery of healthy and appropriately grown babies.


CONCLUSIONS
Celocentesis may be a viable alternative to the currently used tests of chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis.
Makrydimas
G
G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece. grmak@otenet.gr
Georgiou
I
I
Bouba
I
I
Lolis
D
D
Nicolaides
K H
KH
D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000196:embryology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D001826:Body Fluids; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019152:Paracentesis / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000196:embryology