Construction and Evaluation of a Ballistic Gelatin-Based Simulator for Transcervical Chorionic Villus Sampling

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a crucial prenatal diagnostic tool, but a declining number of procedures makes training a challenge. Here we describe a transcervical CVS simulator made from ballistic gelatin. Ninety-three Maternal-Fetal Medicine providers used the simulators during hands-on workshops and completed surveys regarding their fidelity and usefulness in training. Surveys showed median scores of 5 (interquartile range: 4-5) for the fidelity of the ultrasound images, fidelity of the haptic feel, and its usefulness in training. This suggests the simulator will be an effective training tool and provide needed alternative training opportunities for MFM fellows.