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Amniotic Fluid Cerebrospinal Fluid: Special Handling Procedure
Amniotic Fluid Cerebrospinal Fluid: Special Handling Procedure
Amniotic Fluid Cerebrospinal Fluid: Special Handling Procedure
AMNIOTIC FLUID
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID
Acedera | Dejaño | de Lara | Nepunan | Noble
AMNIOTIC FLUID
• Amniotic fluid is a clear, slightly yellowish liquid that surrounds
the fetus during pregnancy, it is contained in the amniotic sac.
• The amniotic fluid constantly circulates as the baby swallows and
inhales the fluid, and then releases it.
Collection of Amniotic Fluid
• The procedure in collecting and obtaining amniotic fluid is
called transabdominal amniocentesis.
• It is preferably collected after 15 weeks of gestation
(pregnancy) and is obtained by a physician.
• The procedure is performed with ultrasound guidance,
involves inserting a needle through the mother’s abdominal
wall into the uterus and aspirating approximately 10 mL of
fluid from the amniotic sac.
Procedure
A small area of the abdomen is Specimens for chromosome analysis
cleansed with an antiseptic. must be kept at room temperature.
Under ultrasound guidance, a thin, Specimens for some chemistry tests
hollow needle through abdomen and must be kept on ice. Follow
uterus, and into the amniotic sac, is laboratory protocol.
inserted.
A small amount of fluid is removed
through the needle and sent for
laboratory analysis ASAP.
It is important that the gestational age
of the fetus be included on the
specimen label.
Amniotic fluid is normally sterile and
must be collected in a sterile container.
The specimen should be protected
from light to prevent breakdown of
bilirubin.
Why It Should Be Done
Amniocentesis should be done if:
• A pregnant woman has an abnormality on an initial prenatal
screening test
• Maternal age over 35 years by the pregnancy due date
• There is a family history or previous child with a chromosomal
and genetic disorder (Down’s Syndrome)
- it can be detected by chromosome studies done on fetal
cells removed from the fluid
• Risk of Hemolytic disease/ Rh disease
- it can be detected by measuring bilirubin levels.
• To estimate gestational age
- amniotic fluid creatinine levels have also been used to
estimate gestational age because these levels are related to
fetal muscle mass
• To assess fetal lung maturity
- phospholipids level determine fetal lung maturity, it act as
surfactants to keep the alveoli of the lungs inflated. Results
are reported as a lecithin-to-sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio. It is
more likely to be immature if L/S ratio is less than 2.
• To detect Open Neural Defect Tube (Spina bafida)
- an increased level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) suggests an
abnormality, AFP level are different in each gestation week
CEREBROSPINAL FLUID (CSF)
https://labtestsonline.org
https://medlineplus.gov
http://www.leehealth.org
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