AGE OF GESTATION (SIZE) AT EMBRYONIC DEMISE - TAILORING COUNSELING FOR LETHAL VERSUS POTENTIALLY VIABLE ANEUPLOIDY

The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in spontaneous abortions is much higher than commonly appreciated. Using postmortem chorionic vil lus sampling (as we have previously described), our much increased yie ld of results allows us to divide embryos into two groups based upon p otential viability. Embryonic size at the time of demise correlated wi th viability, i.e., the more 'viable' the embryo for term survival. Ev en in the absence of chromosomal results, the size of the embryonic po le can be used to infer, to a degree, the type of abnormality.