Sign in →

Test Code LABAPOBSPATH OB SURG PATHOLOGY

Important Note

This order is to be used by the Labor & Delivery unit only. The questionnaire within the order is designed specifically to capture as much information regarding the pregnancy and birth as possible including maternal, fetal, and placental indications for sending specimens to Surgical Pathology. 

If a source is not available on the OB Surg Path order, select "other" and free text the specimen description. Do not place a separate Surgical Pathology order. Place an IT ticket to create the missing source. 

In the event of perinatal loss, please follow further instructions in Patient Care policy PC114: Care of the Patient with Perinatal Loss regarding how to send specimens to Surgical Pathology or the morgue with the Fetal Death Disposition-Notification & Authorization form.

Do not send placentas or fetal remains to the Lab Service Center (LSC).

Infectious

Specimen and Container/Tube

Specimen Type: Tissue, hardware, foreign object in a sealed plastic container

Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions

  • Wipe off the exterior surface of the container to ensure that is free of blood and bodily fluids.
  • Affix Beaker specimen label to container.
  • Specimens should be sent fresh, as soon as possbile to Surgical Pathology during business hours, Monday - Friday, 7am - 6pm.
  • If collected after hours, Monday - Friday, on weekends, or holidays, keep placentas in the designated refrigerator on the unit to await the scheduled pick-up by Patient Transport on the next business day.
  • Do not send placentas or fetal remains to the Lab Service Center (LSC).

Rejection Criteria

  • Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect order, incorrect labeling, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect or missing patient identifiers.

Turnaround Time

Varies dependent on specimen complexity and tissue composition.

STAT/Rush requests available but tissue composition (bloody, calcifed) and standard histology processor schedules/programs must be factored into the request.

 

Location: CCD 2-470

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 7am - 6pm (closed weekends and major holidays)

Telephone Inquiries: 773-834-1975


On-call Information: Surgical Pathology Resident on-call, pager #7054

The on-call residents will triage:

  • requests for preliminary results
  • after hours/weekend inquiries for:
    • notification of intraoperative consultations 
    • autopsy
    • Gift of Hope inquiries

Clinical Indications

Placentas should be sent to Pathology for the following indications:

 

A. OB healthcare provider or neonatology provider request

 

B. Maternal indications

  •  Abruption
  • Chronic vaginal bleeding during pregnancy
  • Death
  • Diabetes
  • Gestational trophoblastic disease
  • Hypertension, chronic
  • Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
  • Infection / sepsis
  • Medically-indicated pregnancy termination
  • Oligohydraminos / anhydraminos
  • Polyhydramnios
  • Substance abuse
  • Uterus and placenta (accreta)

C. Fetal indications

  • APGAR score ≤ 6 at 5 minutes
  • Birthweight < 2500 gm or > 4000 gm
  • Premature delivery ≤ 36 weeks gestation
  • Thick meconium
  • Clinical candidate for therapeutic cooling
  • Category III FHR tracing
  • Category II FHR tracing (at request of provider)
  • Umbilical artery pH < 7.1
  • Operative delivery due to fetal status
  • Hydrops fetalis
  • Newborn infection / sepsis
  • Fetal-maternal hemorrhage
  • Major congenital anomaly
  • Meconium aspiration
  • Multiple gestation
  • Seizures
  • Severe anemia
  • Stillbirth / infant death

D. Placental findings at delivery

  • Abnormal color, shape, size, smell
  • Attenuation of placental disc
  • Extraovular placement of IUPC
  • Fetaus papyraceous / missing twin
  • Infarct
  • Manual extraction / D&C of placenta
  • Mass lesion
  • Placenta previa
  • Retained, fragmented placental disc
  • Single umbilical artery
  • Thrombosis of chorionic place vessel
  • Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome
  • Umbilical cord: attenuation, entanglement, long cord, prolapse, thrombosis, tight knot, stricture, velamentous insertion
  • Vasa previa

Last Review Date

9/18/2024