How is a spina bifida biopsy performed?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Hong On - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.
For pregnant women who have just started the second trimester of pregnancy, when the fetus has risk factors and is suspected to be abnormal, to be more certain, doctors will advise the mother and her family to practice. perform chorionic villus biopsy.

1. Preparation before performing a chorionic villus biopsy

Before the procedure, the pregnant woman's bladder must be stretched to facilitate the chorionic villus sampling, so the woman needs to drink a lot of water before going to the hospital for a biopsy. Depending on the location of the placenta in each woman, the doctor will decide whether the mother should urinate or retain urine in the bladder before performing the chorionic villus procedure. You may be asked to sign a consent form prior to the procedure. You should consult your relatives or discuss carefully with your husband for emotional support or to transport pregnant women before and after the chorionic villus sampling.

2. How is a chorionic villus biopsy performed?

Chorionic villus biopsies are performed by an obstetrician and gynecologist, at a hospital where there are fully equipped support machines. Pregnant women do not need to stay in the hospital after the procedure, most will go home soon after, unless there is a serious problem during the sampling process.
Currently, there are two methods of chorionic villus sampling: transperitoneal chorionic villus biopsies and transcervical chorionic villus biopsies. The choice of method will depend entirely on the position of the fetus and the position of the placenta in the mother's uterus.
2.1. Transabdominal biopsy The woman will lie on her back on the examination bed and pull the shirt over her abdomen. Your doctor will apply a lubricant to your abdomen to use the ultrasound device. The ultrasound machine will display images of the uterus, fetus and placenta on the screen. From this image, the doctor will determine the location to insert the needle and take a sample of the chorionic villus. The fetal heart rate is also continuously checked during ultrasound and sampling.
Next, the doctor will disinfect the skin where the needle will be inserted and numb it with medicine first. Then start inserting the biopsy needle into the mother's abdomen and uterus until it touches the placenta and collects the placental sample. After taking the biopsy sample, the doctor will listen to the fetal heart rate and check the mother's blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.

2.2. Transcervical biopsy: Pregnant women need to remove clothing from below the waist down and cover with a cloth around the waist. Then lie on the examination bed, and at the same time raise and extend both legs. This obstetric position will make it easier for the doctor to see the vagina and perform the biopsy procedure.
First, the doctor will insert an obstetric instrument called a speculum into the pregnant woman's vagina, separate the vaginal wall to better see inside the vagina and cervix, then the cervix will be examined. Wash with a special soap.
Ultrasound technique is performed, helping the doctor to insert the catheter through the cervix into the placenta. Images around the uterus, fetus and placenta will be displayed on the screen. The baby's heart rate is also checked during the ultrasound. Once the correct catheter has been placed in the appropriate position, the chorionic villus sample will be taken and taken out. Finally, your doctor will listen to your baby's heartbeat and check your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.

3. What to do after performing a chorionic villus biopsy?

After the chorionic villus sampling, the woman will rest and be monitored in the hospital room for a few hours. The healthcare professional will use the ultrasound machine to continue monitoring the fetal heart rate. You will notice some vaginal bleeding after the sample collection procedure. The tissue sample will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Results are usually available within days or weeks, depending on the complexity of the analytical method. Before leaving, the mother will be instructed on how to rest, monitor and re-examine.
If a fetal abnormality is found that cannot be treated or has a serious malformation, the parents may decide to terminate the pregnancy early. If the parents choose to continue nursing the fetus and deliver the baby, a chorionic villus biopsy will help diagnose the disease and prepare for it after the baby is born.

4. Results of chorionic villus biopsies

Cells from the placenta will be carefully observed for the number and arrangement of chromosomes, thereby helping the doctor determine what genetic disease is. A normal fetus has 46 chromosomes (chromosomes) in each cell, arranged in 23 pairs of chromosomes. Chromosomes can also tell the sex of the baby. On average, it now takes 1-2 weeks to receive the results of the chorionic villus biopsies.
Normal results will record information: No abnormality was found in the genetic material of the dendritic cells. Abnormal results provide the following information: An abnormality is found in the genetic material of the dendritic cells.

5. Where to do a chorionic villus biopsy?

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the prestigious places to perform chorionic villus biopsies for pregnant women. Specialist doctors with training and experience working in international medical environments at the Obstetrics and Gynecology department of Vinmec Health system will always be ready to bring mothers comprehensive solutions and effective in health care during pregnancy.
Not only have high professional experience, but the doctors at Vinmec also have understanding and close attention to the psychology and state of each pregnant woman. Vinmec Hospital's Obstetrics and Gynecology Department is invested with a modern equipment system, providing a feeling of comfort and relaxation, minimizing pain for pregnant women during pregnancy and labor monitoring.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.