Specimen Collection Guide – Products of Conception

Amnion (0.1-5cm²), cord (1cm³), chorionic villi or fetal skin (0.5-1cm²). Ship in a sterile container, containing Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) (preferred) or sterile saline.

The tissue of choice is fetal skin. A small piece (0.5-1 cm²) should be aseptically removed, and placed in a sterile vessel containing HBSS (or less preferably, sterile saline). The specimen should be sent immediately to the laboratory. If fetal skin is unavailable, then amnion, cord or chorionic villi is acceptable. As products of conception are prone to microbial contamination, it is important to remove and isolate the tissue for study as soon as possible. If unable to transport immediately, store at 4^oC and transport at room temperature (15-25^oC) within 24 hours.

Note: All specimens should contain at least two patient identifiers, type of tissue taken and a completed requisition.

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