Pregnancy at 38: Early Testing & Termination Options

Question
Dear Doctor:

I am 38 and just now trying to get pregnant.  My question is:  If I conceive and have an amnio and CVS test early on, are these tests completed early enough in the pregnancy to consider terminating the pregnancy if "issues" are revealed?

Thank you.

Answer
CVS is performed at 12 weeks gestational age, and amniocentesis is performed at 18 weeks gestational age. You can decide to terminate the pregnancy any time prior to 24 weeks in most states. There is plenty of time to make informed decisions after receiving the results of the tests.