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A fetus identified to be at risk for chromosomal abnormalities may benefit from identification of genetic defects through amniocentesis. Although the risks associated with amniocentesis are considered to be minimal, being an invasive procedure it is not completely without complications. Background and Objectives: The current study aims to identify correlations between blood contamination of samples collected during amniocentesis and certain factors dependent on the instruments used (thickness of the needle used to aspirate the fluid), the location of the placenta, and uterine vascularity (more pronounced in multiparous patients). Materials and Methods: The study included 190 patients in the second trimester of pregnancy who met one of the criteria for invasive prenatal diagnosis (age over 35 years, high risk in first trimester screening, history of pregnancies with genetic abnormalities, etc.). The amniotic fluid samples collected from these patients were analyzed in terms of blood contamination of the amniotic fluid aspirated with maternal cells Results: Of the patients in whom the procedure was performed using 21 G size needles, 16 samples (13.33% of the total) were contaminated. None of the samples collected from patients where a 20 G needle was used were contaminated. There was a statistically significant association between the lack of contamination and the use of Doppler ultrasound in multiparous patients with anterior placenta in whom a 21-gauge needle was used for amniocentesis. Conclusions: There is an increased rate of sample contamination (statistically significant) when using 21 G needle sizes and a significant difference in contamination between primiparous and multiparous patients, with contamination being more frequent in multiparous patients. The use of Doppler ultrasonography may benefit the procedure, as the contamination rate was significantly reduced when used during amniocentesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The umbilical cord and placenta may be the site of tumor development, sometimes jeopardizing the physiological development of the fetus. The umbilical cord becomes detectable on ultrasound from 7-9 weeks of gestation, initially as a thickened and straight structure, which increases in length and acquires a spiral shape. Umbilical cord cysts are rare abnormalities detected incidentally during routine ultrasounds. These can be classified as true cysts or pseudocysts, the final diagnosis being represented by the histopathological examination, which describes an epithelial layer in the case of true cysts. Pseudocysts are more frequently associated with trisomy 18 and 13, the risk of malformations being higher if the lesion is multiple, persists after 12 weeks of amenorrhea if the localization is paraxial; at the fetal or placental insertion of the cord. The placenta may also present various tumors. Subchorionic cysts have a 5-7% incidence, arising on the fetal placental face as anechoic images without Doppler signal. It is considered that their localization near the placental cord insertion site (PCIS) can result in intrauterine growth restriction. Other placental tumors include echogenic cystic lesions, placental lakes, chorioangiomas, hydatiform moles. The antenatal diagnosis should include investigations aimed at detecting the possible association with chromosomal abnormalities. Thus, we present the case of a 29-yearold primiparous, which, at 12 weeks of amenorrhea, it was detected a 2.5-cm diameter cyst located near the PCIS, increasing in dimensions up to 5 cm diameter at 16 weeks of amenorrhea, then having a steady evolution. The fetal development has not been affected, the histopathological examination describing the lesion as a subchorionic cyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of ultrasonography, many placental lesions have become detectable since the first trimester of pregnancy. Some of the most common placental lesions diagnosed by ultrasound are hypoechoic images, causing controversy over differential diagnosis and possible damage to the fetus. Placental lakes are anechoic lesions with a diameter ≥1 cm surrounded by placental tissue with normal echogenicity, being frequently diagnosed in the second trimester of pregnancy. Their incidence varies between 2.2% and 17.8%, usually without impact on fetal development. Subchorionic cysts are anechoic lesions, without Doppler signal, that can be detected from the first trimester. Their content differs from amniotic fluid and histologically there are detected perivillous fibrin desposits and X cells. The association with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) assumes: cyst count >3, diameter >4.5 cm or their location near the placental cord insertion site (PCIS). Echogenic cystic lesions (ECL) are hypoechoic lesions ≥1 cm in diameter, characterized by an echogenic crown and an irregular border. They may be correlated with IUGR and preeclampsia, histologically identifying predominantly as inter-villous thrombi. Other possible differential diagnoses should be considered: chorioangiomas, hydatiform moles, placenta accreta, and "vanishing twin". In conclusion, a wide range of placental lesions can be detected by ultrasound, with a variable echo over the development of the fetus. The antenatal diagnosis of these entities is of particular importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]