Related Experiment Videos
Assessment of fetal status in multiple gestation pregnancies using interphase FISH
M Fiddler1, M C Frederickson, P X Chen
1DePaul University, School for New Learning, 25 East Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604, USA.
Prenatal Diagnosis
|March 22, 2001
Summary
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) offers rapid prenatal diagnosis for multiple pregnancies. However, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in multiples poses risks of specimen contamination and may miss some chromosomal abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Prenatal diagnostics
- Cytogenetics
- Maternal-fetal medicine
Background:
- Multiple gestation pregnancies present unique challenges for prenatal chromosome analysis.
- Indications for testing include advanced maternal age, abnormal ultrasound findings, and family history.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility and limitations of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in multiple gestation pregnancies.
- To assess specimen contamination rates and diagnostic accuracy of FISH in twin and triplet pregnancies.
Main Methods:
- FISH was applied to specimens from amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS).
- Analysis included evaluation of specimen contamination and detection of chromosomal aneuploidies, specifically trisomy 21.
Main Results:
- FISH was successfully applied to all specimens.
- Specimen contamination rates were 11.5% in twins and 16% in higher-order multiples undergoing CVS.
- FISH accurately detected trisomy 21 in three cases without false positives or negatives.
Conclusions:
- FISH provides rapid assessment for fetal reduction decisions in multiple pregnancies.
- CVS in multiples carries significant risks of fetal-fetal specimen contamination.
- Current FISH probes may not identify all clinically significant chromosome aberrations, necessitating careful interpretation.