Pain associated with chorionic villus sampling: transabdominal vs transcervical approach.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare anticipated and perceived pain that is associated with transabdominal and transcervical chorionic villus sampling (CVS).


METHODS
Women with singleton pregnancies who were undergoing CVS completed a preprocedure 0-10 visual analog scale (VAS; 0 = no pain, 10 = excruciating pain) for anticipated transabdominal and transcervical CVS-related pain. After the procedure, patients completed a VAS for perceived pain.


RESULTS
One hundred twenty-one women underwent transabdominal (n = 98) or transcervical (n = 23) CVS. Anticipated pain was 4.5 +/- 2.0, which was similar in patients who ultimately underwent transabdominal (score, 4.6 +/- 3.8) or transcervical (score, 4.1 +/- 2.2) CVS. Postprocedure perceived pain was similar for transabdominal CVS in women with an abdominal wall thickness of <4 cm (score, 2.3 +/- 0.8) and transcervical CVS (score, 2.6 +/- 2.2) but was significantly greater for transabdominal CVS among women with an abdominal wall thickness of > or =4 cm (score, 5.6 +/- 1.2; P < .0001) and nulliparous women who had transcervical CVS (score, 4.3 +/- 2.1; P = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Transabdominal CVS is more painful in heavier women, and transcervical CVS is more painful in nulliparous women.
Wax
Joseph R
JR
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA.
Davies
Norman P
NP
Watson
William J
WJ
Cartin
Angelina
A
Pinette
Michael G
MG
Chard
Renée
R
Carpenter
Molly
M
D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis; D015193:Chorionic Villi Sampling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy