The risk of complications of diagnostic and therapeutic cordocentesis
Preis, K.; Ciach, K.; Swiatkowska-Freund, M.łg.
Ginekologia Polska 75(10): 765-769
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0017-0011 PMID: 15587907 Document Number: 569509
Cordocentesis is one of the wide range of invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used during pregnancy. Most common indications for is are suspicion of chromosomal abnormalities, Rh-immunisation or assessment of fetal renal function. Authors report the frequency of complications of this procedure as high as 1.5-5% with pregnancy loss rate up to 3%. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of complications after cordocentesis. We analyzed 145 pregnancies, during which 199 cordocentesis were performed. 124 of them were qualified as diagnostic with obtaining fetal blood (during 4 of them furosemidum was administered to the fetus), 22 diagnostic with furosemidum administration only and 53 therapeutic with blood transfusion (52) or pentaglobin administration (1). Complications of the cordocentesis were diagnosed in three cases--it was 1.5% of all of the procedures. Fetal bradycardia was reported in our material--in two cases it was isolated complication, in one case it appeared with retroplacental haematoma. In all three cases cesarean section was performed and alive babies were born. Data about the end of the pregnancy were obtained from 69 patients (47.5%). Cordocentesis in many case allows to establish proper diagnosis, make up decisions about treatment or termination of pregnancy and introduce management according to the needs and decisions of the patient. Complications are not very frequent and only in 1.5% were the reason of immediate caesarean section. Cordocentesis is safe and very useful tool of diagnosis in management of high risk pregnancies.