Whether it's doctor recommended or a requested procedure, you might still have questions.

I wanted and planned on a CVS. I was 35 at the time, since turned 36. I have an auto-immune disease that can cause fetal heart block and other complications, so for me, I wanted diagnostic tests (rather than screening), to get chromosomal abnormalities off the table and have one less thing to worry about.

I went in for my CVS appointment at 13 weeks, however, and my uterus was too retroverted for them to do the procedure. My bladder was in front of my uterus, rather than my uterus being in front. The doctor said I'd have to wait and do the amnio instead, since as the baby grew, the weight should tip my uterus forward so they could get to it.

I had opted for the CVS originally because I wanted to find out as soon as I could. The hospital where I get my diagnostic work done won't do the FISH test or rapid response amnio, so you have to wait 1.5-2 weeks for results, which meant I'd be about 18-20 weeks when I got results. Not only would I be showing, and therefore have to explain to everyone if I chose to terminate, but I might be feeling the baby move as well.

There are a number of studies that put the miscarriage statistics for CVS when done by very experienced practitioners, which they have at my hospital, quite low, almost comparable to amnio, so I wasn't really worried about the risk aspect. My bigger concern was whether it would reassure me enough just having the chromosomal results and still having to wait for AFP and Level II ultrasound to rule out neural tube defects.

I think it really depends how much you feel like you really need to know and what you'd do with the results. If you would not terminate the pregnancy, then there's little point in finding out earlier. If you have other concerns as well, you might want to get some of them out of the way as early as possible. Waiting for my amnio was super-stressful and was the same time I was starting heart block screenings, and I remember thinking that I really wished that I could have gotten the CVS results earlier.

Anyway, that was super-long, so I hope it was at least some help to you.

I'm 40, almost 41, and pregnant with (unexpected) #3. For each of my two previous pregnancies I had amnio (first was because triple screen showed a marker for trisomy 18; second was because I was over 35) and considering what to do this time. I'm inclined to explore CVS, because I'd like to know as soon as possible so that we can weigh our options before announcing to the world (though if the rapid expansion of my belly is any indication, the whole world will know soon enough). but also a bit nervous about what might be added risks over amnio. Any other thoughts out there?