Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling: results from a multicenter collaborative registry. The Western Collaborative Perinatal Group.

Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling has become an important diagnostic tool in the evaluation of fetal health. Although recent reports have established the safety of this procedure, most have arisen from single centers with extensive experience. The Western Perinatal Collaborative Group has maintained a continuous registry of percutaneous umbilical blood sampling performed at the 13 member institutions for the years 1986 through 1990. During this period 302 procedures were performed. Primary indications for percutaneous umbilical blood sampling included Rh and non-Rh isoimmunization, intrauterine growth retardation, nonimmune hydrops, fetal anomalies, immune thrombocytopenia purpura, and rapid fetal chromosome analysis. Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling was successfully performed in 93.7% of cases with a sample withdrawn by a single puncture in 80.5% of attempts. In the majority of cases a 22-gauge needle was used. Postprocedural fetal death resulted in six cases (2.1%) and was most often associated with fetal anomalies or an abnormal karyotype. In conclusion, evaluation of the fetal state by percutaneous umbilical blood sampling is a safe and easily performed procedure, as demonstrated by a collaborative multicenter study.