title: Evaluation of clinical and cytogenetic findings on 1,068 second-trimester amniocenteses in Southeast Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the indications of amniocentesis for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities among a sample of patients in Southeast Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2004 and 2007, 1,068 second-trimester amniocentesis tests were performed in the Medical Biology and Genetics Department Laboratory at Dicle University. Amniotic fluids were cultured by using long-term tissue culture for prenatal diagnosis with cytogenetic analysis. The clinical and cytogenetic findings on 1,068 second-trimester amniocenteses were analyzed. The indications, the proportions of karyotypes according to indications and complications were summarized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 1,068 amniocentesis cases, the maternal age between 35 and 39 years was the most common age group (34.5%). Of the clinical indications abnormal maternal serum screening results were the most common indication for amniocentesis (37.6%). Of 52 cases (4.9%) with detected chromosomal aberrations, 39 were numeric (27 trisomies, 10 sex chromosome aberrations and two triploidies) and 13 were structural (2 reciprocal translocations, 2 Robertsonian translocations and 6 inversions). The highest detection rate of chromosome aberrations was in cases undergoing amniocentesis for abnormal maternal serum screening combined with abnormal ultrasound (US) findings (8.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that complementary measures, such as routine antenatal US and maternal serum screening, should be added to increase the efficiency of genetic amniocentesis. Therefore, the study could be used for the establishment of a database for genetic counseling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Medical Faculty, University of Dicle, Diyarbakir, Turkey. balkanmah@gmail.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balkan
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akbas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kalkanli
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sakar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fidanboy
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Alp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Budak
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult