Evaluation of diagnostic potential of various methods of chorionic sampling in the first trimester of pregnancy

: Potentials of the most common chorionic sampling methods have been examined: transcervical biopsy (TCB) (n-65), transcervical aspiration (TCA) (n-63) and transabdominal aspiration (TAA) (n-10). These procedures were done in outpatient settings at 6-12 week's gestation with sonographic guidance using accepted methodologies. TCB and TCA yielded 14.3 mg and 27.5 mg of a sample, respectively. The chorionic sample obtained with TAA was at best 3 mg. The incidence of successful chorionic sampling was 92.4% for TCB, 76.1% for TCA and 80.0% for TAA. Spontaneous abortions occurred after TAA (7.9%) and combined transcervical procedures (10%). These results suggest a potential of TCB and TCA in first-trimester prenatal diagnosis, but TCB has a number of advantages. TAA is a promising technique which, however, requires further sophistication.