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Forty-two women with abnormal ultrasound findings after 27 weeks' gestation underwent a placental biopsy. In 39 cases, a karyotype was obtained from a direct preparation within 48 h, five abnormal karyotypes being detected (four trisomies and a triploidy). One confirmed placental mosaic was also detected. In one case, a small terminal deletion of chromosome 7 was not detected at the time due to the quality of the preparation. A karyotype can be obtained from a direct preparation in the third trimester in over 90 per cent of cases, the quality of the preparation allowing the reliable detection of abnormalities of chromosome number. We believe that this technique may be usefully, reliably, and safely employed in the third trimester of pregnancy by those with an interest in antenatal ultrasound diagnosis who do not have immediate access to a cytogenetics laboratory and who feel that cordocentesis is inappropriate for their situation.

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Background. A woman's health status prior to, and during, pregnancy has been shown to influence maternal and foetal health outcomes, and therefore healthy behaviours should be encouraged to optimise weight gain during pregnancy. Discussion. Pre-gravid overweight and obesity, and excessive weight gain during pregnancy, are associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes for the mother and the foetus. Despite the fact that physical activity during pregnancy reduces the risk of excessive gestational weight gain, physical activity levels typically decline during pregnancy. Several factors have been shown to influence physical activity during pregnancy, and preliminary data is available on identifying these factors in South African women. Conclusion. Very little is known about physical activity patterns in pregnant South African women in whom overweight and obesity is prevalent. Examining these patterns, as well as the barriers and facilitators of physical activity in this population will assist in informing future interventions.