Emotional responses of pregnant women to chorionic villi sampling or amniocentesis

Abstract

Seventy-four "high-risk" pregnant women interested in participating in a clinical trial comparing chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis were initially assessed on five background measures and for anxiety, depression, hostility, and concern about abortion. The 61 women who then agreed to be randomized into the chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis groups were assessed three additional times between 9 and 22 weeks' gestational age. Physical discomfort experienced during the diagnostic procedure was also assessed. Women in the chorionic villi sampling group underwent a reduction in anxiety up to 10 weeks earlier and reported less procedure-related discomfort than women in the amniocentesis group. The group X time interaction for depression was also significant, with women undergoing chorionic villi sampling reporting an earlier decrease in depression than women undergoing amniocentesis. No differences were found between the two groups in hostility or concern about abortion. Findings were discussed in the context of evidence linking prenatal maternal emotionality to an increased risk of obstetric complications.