[Fetoscopy. A new method in prenatal diagnosis (author's transl)].

Fetoscopes are now being developed which make possible the inspection of human fetuses as well as withdrawal of a fetal blood sample in the early mid-trimester of pregnancy. The preliminary experiences of several groups are presented in this report. In addition, a fetoscopy including fetal blood sampling in a 24 week pregnancy prior to therapeutic abortion is described. The first prenatal diagnoses which have been made using this novel technique, concern defects of the fetal erythrocytes (sickle cel Hb, thalassemia). The fetal blood sample that was obtained in the present case was studied by appropriate methods. As expected, there was no evidence of either of these anomalies.