The incidence of haemangiomas was ascertained by questionnaire in infants born to 578 consecutive CVS patients and 445 consecutive mid-trimester amniocentesis patients seen at a single institution between 1 January 1989 and 31 May 1991. The incidence of 7.4 per cent reported in the amniocentesis group was comparable to previous estimates of the incidence of haemangiomas in the general population. In contrast, a 21.1 per cent incidence, three-fold higher than that observed in the amniocentesis group, was observed among CVS-exposed infants (P < 0.001). This increased incidence was largely confined to patients undergoing a transcervical procedure. No correlation was observed between the incidence of haemangiomas and gestational age at sampling, sample size, number of sampling attempts, or a history of bleeding following the procedure.
These findings indicate that research participants want feedback even when the information is upsetting. Additional studies are needed to identify individuals who experience greater levels of distress following feedback in an attempt to provide improved methods of feedback and support.
A number of recent publications have suggested an increased incidence of transverse limb anomalies,1,2 the hypoglossia-hypodactylia syndrome,1 and cavernous hemangiomas3 in infants born to mothers who had undergone chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in the first trimester of pregnancy. We previously reported 4 CVS-related cases of transverse limb anomalies2 and since have examined 10 additional cases. The purpose of this report is to describe the spectrum of abnormalities observed in these 14 cases. We believe that the findings in these patients support an association between CVS and limb abnormalities by demonstrating that the type of anomaly associated with CVS is a very specific one that is uncommonly observed in the general population.
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