Celocentesis in Ultra-Early Prenatal Diagnosis: Diagnostic Accuracy, Safety Profile, and Emerging Therapeutic Perspectives
Stylianos Makrydimas, Efthalia Moustakli, Nektaria Zagorianakou, Emmanouil D. Oikonomou, Ioannis Mitrogiannis, George MakrydimasCelocentesis represents a novel form of invasive pregnancy test that allows the genetic material of the embryo to be tested during the embryonic stage at 6–9 weeks of gestation. The purpose of this narrative review is to present the latest available literature on celocentesis, including its biological basis, technical aspects, diagnostic performance, safety profile, clinical applications, and future perspectives. Available evidence from selected studies conducted in highly specialized centers suggests that the diagnosis of monogenic diseases by celocentesis can achieve high accuracy, with reported success rates ranging from 93% to 99% when combined with molecular testing and selective fetal cell isolation. Similarly, a high level of concordance with conventional prenatal and postnatal diagnostic methods has been reported. The pregnancy loss associated with celocentesis appears to be low and comparable to baseline early pregnancy loss, although current evidence is derived primarily from observational studies and limited clinical series. One of the main benefits of celocentesis is the capability to perform prenatal diagnosis at an early stage of pregnancy, which facilitates more informed decisions about treatment options, minimizes parental anxiety, and allows earlier intervention when required. Moreover, experimental evidence suggests that celocentesis may provide a future platform for intrauterine therapeutic approaches, including stem cells and gene-based therapies, although these applications remain investigational. Despite these promising findings, celocentesis should currently be considered an experimental procedure, as its use remains largely confined to specialized centers and further multicenter studies are required to establish its safety, reproducibility, and broader clinical utility.