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Comparative Study
. 2006 Jan;26(1):35-8.
doi: 10.1002/pd.1323.

How painful are amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling?

Akos Csaba  1 , Melissa C Bush, Carl Saphier
Affiliations
Comparative Study

How painful are amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling?

Akos Csaba et al. Prenat Diagn. 2006 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the levels of pain and anxiety associated with amniocentesis (AC), transabdominal chorionic villus sampling (TA-CVS), and transcervical chorionic villus sampling (TC-CVS).

Methods: We prospectively administered a questionnaire about pain and anxiety to 124 women undergoing AC, 40 undergoing TA-CVS, and 24 undergoing TC-CVS for singleton pregnancies. The level of pain was quantified with numerical and pictorial scales and the degree of anxiety was quantified with a numerical scale (0-100 in increments of 10).

Results: The mean pain score for TA-CVS, 41.4 +/- 18.1, was significantly higher than that for TC-CVS, 26.4 +/- 25.3, p = 0.008. The mean pain score for AC, 35.1 +/- 27.6, was intermediate. A higher degree of anxiety was associated with younger maternal age and nulliparity. A higher degree of anxiety was associated with a higher level of pain.

Conclusion: In general, each procedure is associated with a tolerable amount of pain. TA-CVS appears to be the most painful procedure while TC-CVS appears to be the least painful procedure. In certain groups of patients, the procedures may be associated with higher levels of pain and/or anxiety.

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