title: Operator experience reduces the risk of second trimester amniocentesis-related adverse outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of operator experience on amniocentesis-related adverse outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of mid-trimester amniocenteses performed by the same operator on singleton pregnancies in a single private institution during 1994-2007. Outcomes were hemorrhagic or dark amniotic fluid aspiration, insufficient volume aspiration, repeated puncture and fetal loss. Rates were estimated annually, as well as for every 10% of procedures up to the total number. The association of each outcome with epidemiological aspects was also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 5913 amniocenteses were performed. The overall rate of adverse outcomes was 5.4%. The total adverse outcome rate reduced from 10.2% in the first 10% of cases to 3.0% in the last 10% (P=.001). The rate of hemorrhagic fluid gradually decreased from 4.4% to 1.5% (P=.05) over the same intervals. The fetal loss rate was also reduced from 0.5% during the first half to 0.3% in the second half of the study period (P=NS). Logistic regression analysis indicated no significant correlations between adverse outcomes with any of epidemiological parameters of women undergoing amniocentesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Operator experience has a beneficial impact on preventing procedure-related adverse outcomes.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Chrysoula
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Margioula-Siarkou
authors.forename: Artemis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karkanaki
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kalogiannidis
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petousis
authors.forename: Themistoklis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dagklis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mavromatidis
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Prapas
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prapas
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rousso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059032:Learning Curve; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Adverse outcome; Fetal loss rate; Operator experience; Second trimester amniocentesis