title: Three years' experience of using a 29-gauge atraumatic needle for amniocentesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the procedure-related complication rate after using modified technique of amniocentesis with a 29-gauge (29-G) pencil-point needle.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, descriptive study of 316 amniocenteses that were performed by means of atraumatic 29-G pencil-point needle under ultrasound control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 316 amniocenteses were observed through the postprocedural period. The median time needed to retrieve 15 mL of amniotic fluid was 4 min. A total of 19 pregnancies were terminated after genetic testing. No case was regarded as procedure-related fetal loss. No other complications were observed. Seventeen children were born before 37 completed weeks of gestation and five children had a birth weight <2000 g.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amniocentesis with the 29-G atraumatic pencil-point needle seems to be a safe procedure with extremely low risk of complications and is a good alternative to the traditional 22-G Quincke needle.
authors: University Clinic of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Halle (Saale), Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst Grube Strasse 40, Halle, Germany. michael.tchirikov@uk-halle.de
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Tchirikov
authors: Carola
authors: C
authors: Arnold
authors: Viktor
authors: V
authors: Oshovskyy
authors: Ulf-Rüdiger
authors: UR
authors: Heinrich
authors: Volker
authors: V
authors: Thäle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007621:Karyotyping; D009339:Needles; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D059285:Pregnancy, Twin; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal