What is the Risk of Amniocentesis?

Amniocentesis is a safe and painless procedure but this procedure has some risks also:

  • Miscarriages: Amniocentesis can cause miscarriage but nowadays the chance is low. Miscarriage mainly occurs when any blood vessel of the foetus is cut by the needle that is used for amniocentesis. Miscarriage can also be caused due to damage or rupture of the membrane and due to any infection. To avoid such infections, the skin of the patient’s abdomen must be cleaned properly. Sometimes after the amniocentesis procedure, miscarriage can happen without any proper reason.
  • Injuries: The foetus can be injured by the long needle. But nowadays, this is very rare because the entire procedure is done with the help of ultrasound imaging.
  • Pain: Though it is almost a painless procedure, some patients have experienced pain like menstrual cramping.
  • Leaking of Amniotic Fluid: Sometimes leaking of amniotic fluid can be seen from the operating site or the vagina. Sometimes, preterm labour can be seen after this procedure.

What is Amniocentesis?

Amniocentesis is a technique used to gather amniotic fluid from the uterus during pregnancy to diagnose genetic disorders and fetal abnormalities. It is a prenatal diagnostic procedure which collects the foetal cell from the amniotic fluid to examine and identify chromosomal abnormalities or any disease of the baby. In this article, we will look into the Amniocentesis meaning, the reasons to performing Amniocentesis and its procedure, along with the risk associated with Amniocentesis.

Table of Content

  • What is Amniocentesis?
  • Amniocentesis Diagram
  • Why is Amniocentesis Performed?
  • Who Needs Amniocentesis?
  • How is Amniocentesis Performed?
  • What is the Risk of Amniocentesis?
  • Care After Amniocentesis
  • Why is Amniocentesis Banned in India?

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What is Amniocentesis?

Amniocentesis is a prenatal diagnostic procedure. It is also known as “Amnio”. Amniotic fluid is found in the uterus of the mother during pregnancy. Baby is surrounded by this fluid to remain protected from mechanical injuries. Feotal cells and alpha-fetoprotein are found in the amniotic fluid which help provide essential information about the health of the baby. During amniocentesis, the amniotic fluid is collected with the help of a syringe and then the fluid is medically examined to detect genetic abnormalities or any disease of the baby. Sex determination can also be done through this procedure....

Amniocentesis Diagram

The diagram of Amniocentesis is given below:...

Why is Amniocentesis Performed?

Amniocentesis is a diagnostic test. It is mainly performed to know about the health of the baby. The procedure helps to detect:...

Who Needs Amniocentesis?

Every pregnant woman can use this diagnostic test after consulting with her doctor. But, a pregnant woman with the following criteria highly requires an amnio. The criteria are mentioned below:...

How is Amniocentesis Performed?

The procedure of amniocentesis is described below:...

What is the Risk of Amniocentesis?

Amniocentesis is a safe and painless procedure but this procedure has some risks also:...

Care After Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a safe procedure. However, one should follow the following measures to avoid any problems:...

Why is Amniocentesis Banned in India?

Amniocentesis has been banned in India since 1994. Amniocentesis can reveal the gender of the baby. In many parts of India, even today girl children are not welcomed. So, the case of aborting female foetuses was high in India. To stop such practice, amniocentesis is banned in India....

Conclusion – Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a prenatal diagnostic procedure and it is mainly used to determine any chromosomal abnormalities or birth defects of the foetus. The amniotic fluid from the womb of the mother is collected with the help of a long needle then the amniotic fluid is examined in the laboratory. The procedure is safe and almost painless. The Amniocentesis procedure can reveal the gender of the foetus and to prevent intentional abortion of the female foetus, this is why it has been banned in India since 1994....

FAQs on Amniocentesis

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