(1089) Implications for prenatal genetic testing after reversal of Roe v. Wade in the United States

As of August 25, 2022, 13 states will have restrictions where no diagnostic testing could be completed in time for a patient to legally terminate the pregnancy. There are 3 states with a 15-week ban where CVS would likely be feasible, but not amniocentesis. 13 states have restrictions in place after viability, often defined as 22 weeks, at which point both types of confirmatory testing is feasible.

Conclusion: Following the reversal of Roe v. Wade, there are significant state-to-state differences in abortion laws which could influence options for genetic testing for patients who would opt to terminate.  Clinicians should be aware of this data when counseling patients on their reproductive options, taking into consideration scheduling time for the CVS or amniocentesis procedures. In at least 3 states with early gestational age restrictions, this may influence a patient to favor CVS over amniocentesis. There is potential for CVS to become more common over amniocentesis in this new landscape.