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Second trimester amniocentesis in twin pregnancies: maternal haemoglobin as a dye marker to differentiate diamniotic
J R Beekhuis1, H W De Bruijn, J M Van Lith
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Objective:
To review the use of a membrane-free haemolysate prepared from maternal blood to distinguish the amniotic sacs at amniocentesis in twin gestation.
Setting:
University Hospital, Groningen.
Method:
Haemoglobin solution prepared from maternal blood.
Subjects:
63 twin pregnancies having amniocentesis.
Results:
The fetal loss before 28 weeks was 4%. There was no perinatal mortality. Dye was detected in the second sac in 9 of 24 women tested before 1985 and none of the 39 women since, no malformations could be ascribed to the use of the haemolysate.
Conclusion:
The use of the membrane-free haemolysate is safe, but the technique will probably gradually become redundant because of improved ultrasound.