PREGNANCY/EVERYDAY LIFE: AMNIOCENTESIS

Posted on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 at 6:26 am

The liquid which surrounds the foetus inside the womb is called amniotic fluid and because the baby drinks it and passes it out again, it is rich with foetal cells. This fluid can be used to test for certain genetic or inherited disorders in the foetus, including Down syndrome. It can also be tested in later stages of pregnancy to determine the maturity of foetal lungs, if there is a risk of premature birth.

Amniocentesis is usually done under ultrasound control. A small area on the skin of the lower abdomen is anaesthetised, and a fine needle is passed into the sac containing the amniotic fluid. A small amount of fluid is withdrawn for examination.

This test is usually performed on the understanding that if a serious abnormality is detected in the foetus, the pregnancy will be terminated. In early pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage after amniocentesis approaches 1%, but there is no risk to the mother herself, who may just feel some minimal physical discomfort. If performed later in pregnancy to assess maturity of the foetus, the risks of miscarriage is negligible. Because the incidence of congenital abnormalities increases with the age of the mother, this test is usually offered to any woman who becomes pregnant after the age of 37, whether she has had previous pregnancies or not. Check with your doctor for further details.

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