Establishment of a tissue bank for fetal stem cell transplantation

Study Objective. To analyse the yield of fetal liver tissue in first trimester abortions and to evaluate the number of nucleated cells obtained from each fetal liver during the sixth to twelfth week of gestation.Design. Prospective descriptive studyLocation University Hospital.Material Women seeking abortion during a 12 month period 1992/1993.Results. Out of 1271 women seeking abortion, 152 were asked whether they were willing to donate fetal tissue for fetal transplantation. Of these women, 105 (69%) accepted the proposal and undcrwent a modified low suction vacuum curettage. Fetal liver tissue was obtained in 61 (58%) of these procedures. The frequency at which tissue was retrieved was strongly related to gestational age and rose from 29% in week 6 to 79% in the tenth to twelfth week of gestation. The mean number of nucleated cells obtained from each fetal liver demonstrated a conconiitant increase with gestational age, rising from 16 to 43 × 106 per liver during these weeks of gestation. Of the 61 case...