Complications rate and pregnancy outcome in women who underwent early and mid trimester amniocentesis

OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the complications rate, as well as pregnancy outcome, in women who underwent early and mid-trimester amniocentesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted among 454 patients, including 162 women after the procedure performed before 15 gestational week and 292 patients who underwent classic amniocentesis. All patients were hospitalized in Division of Reproduction of University of Medical Sciences in Poznan between 1999 and 2005. The analysis, based both on clinical observations and questionnaire sent to patients, concerned especially the frequency of following complications: miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes and club foot in newborns. RESULTS: Total pregnancy loss rate due to amniocentesis amounted to 1.2% and 0.3% in early and mid-trimester amniocentesis, respectively, not reaching statistical significance. The frequency of club foot in newborns of mothers who underwent amniocentesis did not differ significantly between the groups, although it was four times higher in early amniocentesis group than in patients in whom mid-trimester amniocentesis had been performed. CONCLUSIONS: The safety of early amniocentesis is comparable with safety of mid-trimester amniocentesis.