A study of fetal sex determination in coelomic fluid

Coelomic fluid and fetal parts were obtained in 35 patients undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy. Fetal gender was determined by Y-sequence-specific polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Fourteen male pregnancies out of 35 cases were identified by examination of fetal parts. The overall concordance rate of gender determination between coelomic fluid and fetal parts was 91.4%. There were 2 cases of male pregnancies not being identified and 1 case of false positive result by coelocentesis. The gestation of pregnancy and the volume of coelomic fluid obtained appeared not to be related to the discrepancy in the paired results. We conclude that sex determination using coelocentesis and PCR remains unreliable to be used as a definitive prenatal diagnostic test for sex-linked disorders.