Carley

Who out there has had a CVS? Can you give me your experiences on it please? And if not too personal why did you have one?

Carley

Anyone?

codiontour

what is a CVS...am i dense?!??

tinytoes

i have no idea either..a what?

Carley

What is chorionic villus sampling?

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test that detects chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, as well as a host of other genetic disorders. The doctor takes cells from tiny fingerlike projections on the placenta called the chorionic villi and sends them to a lab for genetic analysis.

The main advantage of CVS over amniocentesis is that you can have it done earlier — generally between 11 and 12 weeks of pregnancy, although some testing centers will do it as late as 13 weeks. (For an amnio, you'll have to wait until you're at least 16 weeks pregnant.)

Women who choose to have CVS or amniocentesis are primarily those at increased risk for genetic and chromosomal problems, in part because these tests are invasive and carry a small risk of miscarriage.

What kind of problems does CVS detect?

Like amniocentesis, CVS can identify:

• Nearly all chromosomal abnormalities, including Down syndrome, trisomy 13, trisomy 18, and sex chromosome abnormalities (such as Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome). The test is more than 99 percent accurate in diagnosing these conditions.

• Several hundred genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and Tay-Sachs disease. The test is not used to look for all of them, but if your baby is at increased risk for one or more of these disorders, CVS can usually tell you whether he has the disease.

Unlike amniocentesis, CVS cannot detect neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. If you opt for CVS, you'll be offered a blood screening test in your second trimester to determine whether you're at increased risk for neural tube defects. Most neural tube defects can be detected by a detailed second-trimester ultrasound done at a state-of-the-art academic center.

Be aware that if you have CVS, there's a 1 percent chance of getting a result called a mosaicism, in which some of the cell lines cultured from the placenta contain abnormal chromosomes and some are normal. If your CVS detects a mosaicism, you'll have to have amniocentesis and possibly other testing to determine whether your baby is affected.

pepperflake

I didn't have a CVS- or an amnio. I had 3 additional ultrasounds and bloodwork done to check for abnormalities. It was called an Ultrascreen. The only reason was because I am 35- "advanced maternal age". Everything was 100% normal so I didn't need the more invasive CVS or amnio.

Vickie

I hadn't had that, but I refused all the testing for downs/abnormalities

BeckyBoo

I only have the blood test for it. I wouldn't have the amnio because of risk of MC. I don't know why I had the blood test done really because whatever the results, I was keeping it.

codiontour

ohhhh that CVS... nope, just never came up really unless doc did it without telling me, doc and i cant communicate considering hes german and speaks no english and im american and speak no german, bit of a crappy senario

Carley

A CVS for me is the only way to test for triploidy