Subendometrial myometrial contractions associated with transcervical chorionic villous sampling.
Thirty-two consecutive patients, referred for prenatal diagnosis by chorionic villous sampling, were examined by transvaginal ultrasound for the presence of myometrial contractions before and after the procedure. Increased myometrial activity was observed in 78% of patients. The mean frequency increased by 3.5 times and the amplitude increased by 4.2 times compared to the preprocedure condition. Cramping was associated with the increased amplitude and/or frequency of contractions. No significant correlation was found between the direction of propagation of the contraction wave and its frequency or amplitude. The sensitivity of ultrasonographically detected myometrial contractions in predicting cramping is 70%, but only 31% in predicting vaginal bleeding or spotting. Further studies are required to elucidate the prognostic significance of this uterine activity.
Degani
S
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.
Gruber
A
A
de Vries
K
K
Gonen
R
R
D000328:Adult; D015193:Chorionic Villi Sampling / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000502:physiology*