Chorionic villus sampling as the primary diagnostic tool in prenatal diagnosis. Should it replace genetic amniocentesis?

Recent studies in Canada and the United States have shown that chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is both safe and accurate, with a fetal loss rate likely slightly higher than that of amniocentesis but still at an acceptable level (1%). Although CVS may become the dominant prenatal diagnosis procedure, it is unlikely that it will completely replace amniocentesis. The two procedures are essentially complementary in the provision of prenatal diagnosis in the first and second trimesters.