This technique, typically performed at 10–12 weeks’ gestation, involves the removal of a small sample of chorionic villus material (either a transcervical or a
transabdominal approach may be used).
The villi are of fetal origin and thus
provide a large sample of actively dividing fetal cells for diagnosis.
This technique has the advantage of providing a diagnosis earlier in the pregnancy.
There is a small possibility of diagnostic error because of placental mosaicism
(i.e., multiple cell types in the villi).
The risk of fetal demise is higher than with amniocentesis (about 1/100).
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