The effect of genetic amniocentesis on doppler measurements of utero-placental and feto-placental circulations

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a change in feto-maternal circulation after amniocentesis (AS) using Doppler ultrasonography. Methods: In this prospectively designed study, fetuses with singleton pregnancies between 16 and 22 weeks of gestational age with an indication for invasive testing and a healthy AS result were included. Twin pregnancies, fetuses with major anomalies as determined by ultrasound evaluation, and fetuses with chromosomal or genetic diseases resulting from AS were excluded from the study. Results: A total of 73 patients who underwent AS according to the risky screening result were included in the study. Fetal Doppler measurements were performed at three different time periods. The parameters that were analyzed included the fetal umbilical artery, the ductus venosus, and the maternal right and left uterine arteries. The analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the measurements. Conclusions: It has been observed that AS, the most commonly used invasive diagnostic procedure in clinical practice, does not affect feto-maternal circulation and fetal heart function.