Second-trimester genetic amniocentesis: 5-year experience.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the data related to the genetic amniocentesis performed in a single university hospital.


METHODS
Medical records were used to analyze indications of amniocentesis, the results of chromosome analysis, complications and pregnancy outcomes from January 1998 through January 2002. Anomaly screening was performed to all patients attending to our Obstetrics and Gynecology Department between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. The staff obstetricians-gynecologists performed all of the second-trimester genetic amniocentesis.


RESULTS
Totally 2,686 patients attended to our department between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy during the index period. A total of 131 genetic amniocentesis were performed. The indications were advanced maternal age (cut off age 35) in 24, suspicion of genetic abnormality on ultrasound in 15, history of siblings with Down syndrome in 2 and abnormal triple screen in 90 patients, respectively. There were two pregnancy losses due to the procedure; thus the overall complication rate of second-trimester genetic amniocentesis was 1.5%.


CONCLUSIONS
Being one of the most performed invasive techniques for prenatal diagnose, second-trimester genetic amniocentesis is a reliable and safe method. Although the size of this study is limited, our complication rates are similar to the related literature.
Turhan
Nilgün Oztürk
NO
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fatih University of Medicine, Bilkent 1 Camlik Sitesi, C 9/2, Ankara, Turkey. nilgunturhan@hotmail.com
Eren
Unal
U
Seçkin
Neslihan Carda
NC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal