• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

What is Chorionic villus sampling? And what can I expect?

by Brigham and Women's Hospital Leave a Comment

chorionic villus sampling

Most women will have normal, healthy babies and will not require Chronic Villus Sampling Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or other invasive prenatal tests.  However, all couples have a 3 percent chance of having a child with a birth defect and a physician may recommend CVS, a procedure to obtain a small amount of tissue (chorionic villi) from the developing placenta of the fetus for the purpose of  genetic testing in order to learn more about the babies’ risk for a birth defect.

A CVS is performed under ultrasound guidance by passing a needle through the mother’s abdomen or through the cervix to reach the placenta. The procedure is performed as an outpatient and the mother is generally advised to decrease activity the day of the procedure and return to normal activities the following day.

A doctor may offer Chorionic villus sampling for a patient’s consideration when:

online pharmacy order lexapro online with best prices today in the USA
  • When a woman is concerned about her risk of chromosome abnormalities
  • There is a history of genetic disorders or a concerning family history
  • Parent(s) are known to be carriers of a genetic condition
  • An early ultrasound anomaly is detected

Typically Chorionic villus sampling is performed between the 11th and 13th week of pregnancy, and the results are usually available in 1-2 weeks.

A CVS is performed in one of two ways. The method used is typically dependent on the position of the uterus and the location of the placenta within the uterus.

  • Transabdominal – this method involves passing a needle through the mother’s abdomen into the placenta under ultrasound guidance, and withdrawing some cells of the placenta into the needle with a syringe.  An anesthetic to numb the skin may be used with the procedure.
  • Transcervical – this involves passing a small catheter through the cervix into the uterus and withdrawing some cells of the placenta.  This method is also performed under ultrasound guidance.

Cells taken by CVS can be tested for chromosome abnormalities that include Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), or genetic conditions such as Tay-Sachs Disease and Sickle Cell Disease.  CVS is not an appropriate test for families with a history of neural tube defects (i.e., spina bifida), as such defects are not detected by CVS.  CVS can only detect a small number of specific genetic or chromosomal problems, and it’s important for parents to understand that no prenatal test is 100 percent accurate.

There are some risks associated with Chorionic villus sampling.  Some women may experience cramping, spotting or discomfort after the procedure, and there is a slightly higher risk for miscarriage. There have been a few reports of limb and jaw defects in infants whose mothers had CVS.  Most of these mothers had CVS performed very early in pregnancy (before 10 weeks), and large studies have not found an association with fetal birth defects when CVS is performed after 10 weeks; however, the possible association of CVS with these specific birth defects remains controversial.

More information: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/Departments_and_Services/obgyn/services/mfm/Patient/CVSinfo.aspx

Louise E. Wilkins-Haug, MD, PhD, is the Division Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Genetics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

online pharmacy order proscar no prescription with best prices today in the USA
online pharmacy https://adamgrant.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/prednisone.html with best prices today in the USA
online pharmacy order cymbalta no prescription with best prices today in the USA
online pharmacy purchase inderal online generic

Filed Under: Pregnancy Questions

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

Ternx Luggage stroller packs clothes and goes on the plane 2025

By Emme Lukasik

25 Cutting-Edge AI Baby Monitors Perfect for the Modern Mom

By Paul Banas

Footer

© Copyright –2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • Chop and Blend Like a Pro: The Best Immersion Blenders Go Beyond Blending
  • Ternx Luggage stroller packs clothes and goes on the plane 2025
  • 25 Cutting-Edge AI Baby Monitors Perfect for the Modern Mom
  • 25 BBQ Gifts That Will Make Dad the King of the Grill
  • Father’s Day Gift Ideas: Travel Gear for the Modern Dad

Search

© © Copyright –2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT