[Influence of sonographic examination on embryo villi during early pregnancy].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of sonographic examination on embryo villi during early pregnancy.


METHODS
Eighty early pregnant women intended for artificial abortion were divided into 4 groups: group I served as control, the remaining 3 groups underwent pelvic sonographic examination transabdominally for 10 minutes (group II), transvaginally for 3 minutes (group III) or for 10 minutes (group IV) respectively. After 1 hour embryo villi were obtained through artificial abortion and examined by electronic microscopy, biochemical methods and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE).


RESULTS
In group IV, but not group II, III, the embryo microvilli were found broken, lost and disarranged. The rough endoplasmic reticulum of trophoblasts expanded. Their malondial dehyde levels increased while the superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased as compared with control (P < 0.01). There was no difference of SCE among these 4 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
It is recommended that sonographic examination should be done through abdominal approach for shorter than 10 minutes during early stage of pregnancy.
Jiao
T
T
Department of Ultrasound, First Central Hospital of TianJin, Tianjin 300192, China.
Liu
L
L
Wang
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014621:Vagina / Q000528:radiation effects*
D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase