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Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

I'm going to have prenatal diagnostic testing, but I'm not sure which kind. How do I decide between CVS and amnio?

Re: I'm going to have prenatal diagnostic testing, but I'm not sure which kind. How do I decide between CVS and amnio?

The Bump Expert

Both have benefits. CVS is done earlier, which means (hopefully) putting your worries to rest sooner, or alternatively, an earlier termination or more time to plan and prepare for your child’s condition. CVS results also come back quicker than amnio’s. It may be difficult to find an experienced provider to do the test, though, because fewer doctors perform CVS than amnio. But, if you’re at particular risk for neural tube defects, amnio is the clear choice -- CVS won’t detect these. Amnio also allows you to postpone making your decision (to test, or not to test) until after you’ve seen the results of your second trimester screenings.

American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. Your pregnancy and birth. 4th ed. Washington, DC: ACOG; 2005.

Paula Kashtan | May 29 , 2009 12:06 PM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

REMEMBER THAT IT IS NEVER A 100% CORRECT RESULT. MY COUSIN HAD IT DONE AND IT WAS POSITIVE AND WORRIED HER WHOLE PREGNACY AND HER SON CAME OUT PERFECTLY FINE AND IS NOW A 2 YEAR OLD HEALTHY CHILD

lildivastar16 | October 20 , 2009 11:26 PM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

I lost my first child to a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, she was 8 weeks old when she passed, our family had never heard of the disease or ever had anyone be diagnosed with it. After alot of research we found out that both I and my husband carry a gene that does not affect us. When we found out we were pregnant with our second child we were excited but also concerned that this could happen again, we have a 1 in 4 chance that the child would have same condition as our first child. We were offered an amnio or a cvs to test for same disease, I'm not sure where your from but we were sent to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore MD, they have a prenatal genetic testing unit. I was set on not doing a cvs because i had heard its not as acurate and causing miscarriage but after talking with them my opinion quickly changed. A cvs can be done at 10-12 weeks when an amnio can be done at 16 weeks, depending on what your testing for if you choose to abort there is a large time in between both tests. I had the cvs procedure done, it took about 30 mins, with no pain at all and my results were back in less than 2 weeks. it all depends on what you want to test for and what your decision will be determining what your results are. If you are concerned with making the right decision i would def consult with a genetic counsler it def helped me.

frances358 | October 29 , 2009 5:04 PM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

I had an amnio with my first child, just b/c I wanted to be sure everything was OK. By the time I finally was far enough along to have one, I remember realizing how horrified I would be if the test came back with a bad result (ie, genetic problem). By the time you are 16 weeks along, the baby has ALL of its limbs and features, and you are VERY pregnant feeling and looking. The thought of terminating a pregnancy that far along is, well, horrifying to say the least. Now with my 2nd child, I went the CVS route. Yes, the results are SLIGHTLY less accurate, but if, god forbid, we feel the need to end the pregnancy, it would be far better to do it now than later. Only you can answer this question. If you want the option to terminate, definitely go CVS. If you will not terminate, no matter what the result is, then I'd wait for the amnio, which is more accurate.

joysaw00 | August 12 , 2010 5:53 PM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

I recently had CVS testing done (where a sample of the placenta was taken with a needle through my belly). My OB recommended it when one of the screening tests indicated a possible marker of Down Syndrome. We could have waited to do the Amnio but decided to go ahead with CVS because waiting the extra few weeks would have been too stressful for both of us. I would say if your risk is not too high and you can wait for the Amnio, do so because it tests for other abnormalities that CVS does not. But if you think you will stress about it too much, go ahead with the CVS testing. We did the earlier testing (CVS) for our own peace of mind.

larosario1 | January 06 , 2011 11:47 AM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

Like larosario1 I had my CVS done on Feb 1. We choose this over the Amnio because it could be done sooner and seemed a little less invasive. In meeting with the genetic specialist we were told the only thing the CVS couldn't detect was Spina Bifida, I will be doing a blood test next week for this birth defect. I am so happy that we did the test because everything came back negative and we were able to find out the gender of the baby, this one is our third and last, and a huge weight is off my shoulders. Talk it over with your other half and decide together. Good luck and know we will all be here to help answer any questions.

cori12180 | February 11 , 2011 3:15 PM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

amniocentesis increases the risks of miscarriage by 90% are you really up to having A miscarriage

varkeyr | May 10 , 2011 12:54 PM

Q&A: CVS vs. amniocentesis?

I would just like to say that Amnio does not increase your risk of miscarriage. None of these tests do. Stop freaking people out.

consciousbuyer | May 25 , 2011 3:42 PM

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