Is the sampling site along the umbilical artery significant?

The purpose of umbilical blood sampling is to obtain accurate reflection of fetal acid-base status at birth. The site along the umbilical artery from which blood should be sampled postpartum was not specified. We evaluated if blood gases and pH values from three sampling sites along the umbilical artery are different. After defining the range of intraobserver (method) variability, blood pO(2), pCO(2), and pH were directly determined. The data showed consistent and significant increases in arterial pH and pCO(2) values and decreases in pO(2) values from near the fetal cord insertion to the placenta. The largest difference was noted between the fetal site and the placental plate and the smallest between the site near the placental cord insertion and the placental plate. We conclude that the site of cord blood sampling should be standardized and the umbilical artery should be sampled at a site nearest to the neonate.