Fourth World Conference on Early Pregnancy CONTINUUM BETWEEN IMPLANTATION AND PERINATAL EVENTS

January 2001 Volume V, Number 1 ISSN: 1537-6583 Pages: 036-037

Pecs, Hungary June 1-3, 2000

Organized by:	Hungarian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology SIEP, the Society for the Investigation of Early Pregnancy
Presidents:	Eytan R. BARNEA (USA) István SZABÓ (Hungary)

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First Trimester Transabdominal Embryofetoscopy 

D. Miliou-Paouleskou, A. Antsaklis, N. Papantoniou, P. Koutra, G. Daskalakis

1^st Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Fetal Maternal Medicine, University of Athens, Alexandra Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece

Objective

The aim of this study was the visualization of the embryo and blood sampling through transabdominal embryoscopy during the first 12 week of pregnancy.

Methods

Twenty women attending Alexandra Maternity Hospital, Athens for pregnancy termination were invited to participate in this study. Informed consent was obtained before participation. The gestational age ranged between 9 and 12 weeks from LMP. We used a Karl Storz semirigid fiberoptic endoscope 20 cm in length, with a diameter of 1 mm and an angle of view of 70^o. Under local anesthesia the endoscope was introduced transabdominally into the amniotic sac, using continuous ultrasound guidance. Complete examination of the embryo including head, face, limbs ventral and dorsal walls, genitalia, placenta, umbilical cord and yolk sac were performed. A 0,6 mm diameter puncture needle was inserted into the blood vessels of the chorionic plate or umbilical cord through the side arm of the canulla to obtain a small amount of blood.

Results

Conclusion

Embryoscopy represent a diagnostic tool to confirm a diagnosis suspected through noninvasive means. Gaining access to the embryonic circulation when embryos are immunologically naïve will allow perhaps gene or cell therapy. Finally embryoscopy may be helpful to study the biology of embryonic development.

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