Celocentesis for Early Prenatal Diagnosis in Couples at-Risk for β-Thalassemia and Sicilian (δβ)-Thalassemia.

The procedures commonly used for prenatal diagnosis (PND) of thalassemia are villocentesis or amniocentesis, respectively, at the 11th and 16th weeks of gestation. Their main limitation is essentially due to the late gestation week in which diagnosis is performed. The celomic cavity is accessible between the 7th and 9th weeks of gestation and it has been demonstrated that it contains embryonic erythroid precursor cells as a source of fetal DNA for earlier invasive PND of thalassemia and other monogenic diseases.