Direct biopsy performed between 10-12 weeks with results in about one week is which procedure?

• A. Chorionic villus sampling
• B. Cordocentesis
• C. Amniocentesis
• D. Embryoscopy

Answer: (A)

Chorionic villus sampling is performed in the first trimester, typically around 10–12 weeks, using a direct biopsy of placental villi to obtain fetal genetic material. Because the tissue comes from the fetal–placental unit, it provides access to fetal DNA early in pregnancy, allowing rapid genetic testing with results often available within about a week. This makes CVS faster for prenatal diagnosis than amniocentesis, which samples amniotic fluid and is usually done after about 15 weeks and requires more time for culture. Cordocentesis involves sampling fetal blood from the umbilical cord and is generally performed later in gestation; embryoscopy is direct visualization of the embryo and is not the procedure used for rapid genetic testing in this early window.