Abstract
With an endocervicoscope 5 mm in diameter, and a fibre-optic system, it was possible to biopsy the chorion through the cervical canal, during early human pregnancies from 8 to 20 weeks of duration. 39 patients who applied for legal abortion were examined. Growth in tissue culture, with a sufficient number of mitotic figures for sexing and chromosomal analysis was obtained in 20 out of 41 tests after 2–3 weeks. The karyotypes from the biopsy specimens were found to be normal and agreed with respect to sex with the legally aborted fetuses. 19 cases observed for between 7 and 43 days following the biopsy did not show any disturbance of the pregnancy during that time. The practical usefulness of this technique, which was also tried in two cases of imminent abortion, is discussed.