What is “chorionic villus sampling” and how is it used to detect Down syndrome?
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) can be done between weeks 10 and 12 of a pregnancy and sometimes up to week 13. CVS involves taking a small amount of placental tissue, and this can be done either with a needle through the abdomen or through the cervix. That tissue is then sent to the laboratory and can be definitively studied to see if the infant has Down’s syndrome or any other genetic syndrome that is being studied.
