Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

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When should it be done? of Chorionic Villus sampling

The test is done at, or after, ten weeks of pregnancy. Very rarely it can be done earlier, but the risk of miscarriage is higher. This compares with amniocentesis, an alternative test for abnormalities. This is done at around 16 weeks and some results take up to four weeks to obtain. This would mean that the pregnancy was at an advanced stage, around 20 weeks, before the options can be considered.

Chorionic villus sampling is offered to all women, but is recommended in pregnancies where there is a high risk of the baby having a serious inherited condition, for example when the woman has had previous pregnancies with foetal problems, if she is over the age of 35, or if there is a family history of conditions such as cystic fibrosis or Down’s syndrome.