ACOG and SMFM guidelines for prenatal diagnosis: Is karyotyping really sufficient?

OBJECTIVE: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) recommend chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for prenatal diagnosis in cases with 1 or more fetal structural abnormalities. For patients who elect prenatal diagnosis and have a structurally normal fetus, either microarray or karyotype is recommended. This study evaluates the frequency of clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities (CSCA) that would have been missed if all patients offered the choice between CMA and karyotyping chose karyotyping. METHODS: A total of 3223 prenatal samples undergoing CMA were evaluated. Cases were categorized into 2 groups: those that met ACOG guidelines for CMA versus those that met ACOG guidelines for either CMA or karyotype. RESULTS: Of the 3223 cases, 1475 (45.8%) met ACOG recommendations for CMA, and 1748 (54.2%) met recommendations for either CMA or karyotype. In patients who could have elected either CMA or karyotype, 2.5% had CSCA that would have been missed if the patient had elected to pursue karyotype. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that 2.5% of patients will have a CSCA that may be missed if the guidelines continue to suggest that CMA and karyotyping have equivalent diagnostic value for patients without a fetal structural abnormality.

Comprehensive genetic analysis of pregnancy loss by chromosomal microarrays: outcomes, benefits, and challenges.

PURPOSE: Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) is currently considered first-tier testing in pediatric care and prenatal diagnosis owing to its high diagnostic sensitivity for chromosomal imbalances. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and diagnostic power of CMA in both fresh and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of products of conception (POCs). METHODS: Over a 44-month period, 8,118 consecutive samples were received by our laboratory for CMA analysis. This included both fresh (76.4%) and FFPE samples (22.4%), most of which were ascertained for recurrent pregnancy loss and/or spontaneous abortion (83%). The majority of samples were evaluated by a whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based array (81.6%); the remaining samples were evaluated by array-comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). RESULTS: A successful result was obtained in 7,396 of 8,118 (91.1%), with 92.4% of fresh tissue samples and 86.4% of FFPE samples successfully analyzed. Clinically significant abnormalities were identified in 53.7% of specimens (3,975 of 7,396), 94% of which were considered causative. CONCLUSION: Analysis of POC specimens by karyotyping fails in 20-40% of cases. SNP-based CMA is a robust platform, with successful results obtained in >90% of cases. SNP-based CMA can identify aneuploidy, polyploidy, whole-genome homozygosity, segmental genomic imbalances, and maternal cell contamination, thus maximizing sensitivity and decreasing false-negative results. Understanding the etiology of fetal loss enables clarification of recurrence risk and assists in determining appropriate management for future family planning.Genet Med 19 1, 83-89.