Pregnancy outcome of chorionic villus sampling on 260 couples with beta-thalassemia trait in north of Iran.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a new method and its true risk of fetal loss and complications is not still clearly determined. The objective of this study was to review the clinical pregnancy outcome of transabdominal CVS (TA-CVS) performed on women with minor beta thalassemia. TA-CVS performed on 300 women with a singleton pregnancy and we could follow 213 women until delivery. Data regarding induced legal abortion, spontaneous abortion, vaginal leakage, Vaginal bleeding and deformity of extremities (limb reduction) were obtained by questionnaire in five years. All CVS were performed by one operator. The mean gestation at time of CVS was 82.4 +/- 11.3 days. 79.2% of the procedures were made between 10-13 completed weeks and in other women (20.7%) TA-CVS was performed at 13-16 weeks. The majority (86.9%) required only one puncture. There were 47 pregnancy terminations because of fetal major beta thalassemia diagnosis (18 %). The rate of spontaneous abortion in our study was over ally (1.4%) and in two patients vaginal bleeding was noticed. We didn't find any vaginal leakage and limb reduction in our survey. TA-CVS is an accurate and safe procedure in experienced hands. It should be considered as one of the safe available procedures for women who require prenatal genetic diagnosis and wish to receive earlier diagnostic information for probable termination of pregnancy.