Uterine cavity lavage: Adding fish to conventional cytogenetics for embryonic sexing and diagnosing common chromosomal aberrations

David Ishai, Aliza Amiel*, Rony Diukman, Olga Cogan, Zelda Lichtenstein, Haim Abramovici, Moshe D. Fejgin

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study was undertaken to examine the efficacy for early prenatal diagnosis of uterine cavity lavage at the level of the internal os and to assess the rate of maternal contamination. In phase I, uterine cavity lavage was performed in 38 women scheduled for pregnancy termination between 6 and 12 weeks. In addition to short‐ and long‐term cultures, one‐colour FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) with Y and X probes was used for fetal sexing. Two‐colour FISH was used in all known male fetuses for the assessment of maternal contamination. In phase II, lavage was performed on 16 women. Fetal sex was diagnosed with direct labelled X and Y probes and common numerical chromosomal aberration was attempted with 18 and 21 direct labelled probes. Fetal sexing was successful in all cases in phases I and II. Out of 34 patients in which tissue was obtained, only FISH was done in six. Long‐term cell cultures were successful in the other 28 cases, but complete karyotyping in 19 (56 per cent). No chromosomal aberration was found with the direct labelled probes 18 and 21 in FISH. Maternal contamination was assessed to be 5–10 per cent. This simple and easy‐to‐master technique is very effective in obtaining fetal cells early in pregnancy for genetic diagnosis, especially by FISH. However, the safety of the procedure must be tested in ongoing pregnancies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)961-965
Number of pages5
JournalPrenatal Diagnosis
Volume15
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1995
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • FISH
  • early prenatal diagnosis
  • uterine lavage

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