Late terminations of pregnancy following second trimester amniocentesis. 1986

J Timothy, and R Harris

We sought information from 34 chromosome laboratories in Britain about the frequency during 1982 of late amniocentesis, late reports of prenatal diagnosis results and late resultant terminations of pregnancy. Thirty-one laboratories provided data on a total of 20 840 pregnancies. Gestational age at report was recorded in 14 795 and 510 subsequent terminations of pregnancy were recorded. The data were subdivided into three categories according to the primary indication for amniocentesis: (i) the detection of chromosomal abnormalities, (ii) risk of neural-tube defect, (iii) 'other' reasons. Overall 4.0% of diagnostic amniocenteses were performed at greater than or equal to 21 weeks, 12.7% of reports were made at greater than or equal to 22 weeks gestation, and 13.1% of terminations were performed at greater than or equal to 22 weeks. Late amniocentesis (greater than or equal to 21 weeks) occurred nearly five times more often when the primary indication was the detection of neural tube defects than when it was the detection of chromosomal abnormalities. Approximately two-thirds of 'late' terminations were performed after amniocentesis at greater than or equal to 19 weeks gestation. A total of 3896 (26.3%) of women undergoing prenatal diagnosis had to wait until greater than or equal to 21 weeks gestation before a report was available.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009436 Neural Tube Defects Congenital malformations of the central nervous system and adjacent structures related to defective neural tube closure during the first trimester of pregnancy generally occurring between days 18-29 of gestation. Ectodermal and mesodermal malformations (mainly involving the skull and vertebrae) may occur as a result of defects of neural tube closure. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1992, Ch55, pp31-41) Craniorachischisis,Developmental Defects, Neural Tube,Diastematomyelia,Exencephaly,Neurenteric Cyst,Spinal Cord Myelodysplasia,Tethered Cord Syndrome,Acrania,Developmental Neural Tube Defects,Iniencephaly,Neural Tube Developmental Defects,Neuroenteric Cyst,Occult Spinal Dysraphism,Occult Spinal Dysraphism Sequence,Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome,Acranias,Craniorachischises,Cyst, Neurenteric,Cyst, Neuroenteric,Cysts, Neurenteric,Cysts, Neuroenteric,Defect, Neural Tube,Defects, Neural Tube,Diastematomyelias,Dysraphism, Occult Spinal,Dysraphisms, Occult Spinal,Exencephalies,Iniencephalies,Myelodysplasia, Spinal Cord,Myelodysplasias, Spinal Cord,Neural Tube Defect,Neurenteric Cysts,Neuroenteric Cysts,Occult Spinal Dysraphisms,Spinal Cord Myelodysplasias,Spinal Dysraphism, Occult,Spinal Dysraphisms, Occult,Tethered Cord Syndromes
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D011262 Pregnancy Trimester, Second The middle third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 15th through the 28th completed week (99 to 196 days) of gestation. Midtrimester,Pregnancy, Second Trimester,Trimester, Second,Midtrimesters,Pregnancies, Second Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, Second,Second Pregnancy Trimester,Second Pregnancy Trimesters,Second Trimester,Second Trimester Pregnancies,Second Trimester Pregnancy,Second Trimesters,Trimesters, Second
D011296 Prenatal Diagnosis Determination of the nature of a pathological condition or disease in the postimplantation EMBRYO; FETUS; or pregnant female before birth. Diagnosis, Prenatal,Fetal Diagnosis,Fetal Imaging,Fetal Screening,Intrauterine Diagnosis,Antenatal Diagnosis,Antenatal Screening,Diagnosis, Antenatal,Diagnosis, Intrauterine,Prenatal Screening,Antenatal Diagnoses,Antenatal Screenings,Diagnosis, Fetal,Fetal Diagnoses,Fetal Imagings,Fetal Screenings,Imaging, Fetal,Intrauterine Diagnoses,Prenatal Diagnoses,Prenatal Screenings,Screening, Antenatal,Screening, Fetal,Screening, Prenatal
D002869 Chromosome Aberrations Abnormal number or structure of chromosomes. Chromosome aberrations may result in CHROMOSOME DISORDERS. Autosome Abnormalities,Cytogenetic Aberrations,Abnormalities, Autosome,Abnormalities, Chromosomal,Abnormalities, Chromosome,Chromosomal Aberrations,Chromosome Abnormalities,Cytogenetic Abnormalities,Aberration, Chromosomal,Aberration, Chromosome,Aberration, Cytogenetic,Aberrations, Chromosomal,Aberrations, Chromosome,Aberrations, Cytogenetic,Abnormalities, Cytogenetic,Abnormality, Autosome,Abnormality, Chromosomal,Abnormality, Chromosome,Abnormality, Cytogenetic,Autosome Abnormality,Chromosomal Aberration,Chromosomal Abnormalities,Chromosomal Abnormality,Chromosome Aberration,Chromosome Abnormality,Cytogenetic Aberration,Cytogenetic Abnormality
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000032 Abortion, Therapeutic Abortion induced to save the life or health of a pregnant woman. (From Dorland, 28th ed) Therapeutic Abortion,Abortions, Therapeutic,Therapeutic Abortions
D000649 Amniocentesis Percutaneous transabdominal puncture of the uterus during pregnancy to obtain amniotic fluid. It is commonly used for fetal karyotype determination in order to diagnose abnormal fetal conditions. Amniocenteses
D025063 Chromosome Disorders Clinical conditions caused by an abnormal chromosome constitution in which there is extra or missing chromosome material (either a whole chromosome or a chromosome segment). (from Thompson et al., Genetics in Medicine, 5th ed, p429) Autosomal Chromosome Disorders,Chromosome Abnormality Disorders,Chromosomal Disorders,Autosomal Chromosome Disorder,Chromosomal Disorder,Chromosome Abnormality Disorder,Chromosome Disorder,Chromosome Disorder, Autosomal,Chromosome Disorders, Autosomal,Disorder, Chromosomal,Disorder, Chromosome,Disorder, Chromosome Abnormality,Disorders, Chromosomal,Disorders, Chromosome

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