Amniocentesis – Treatment, Effect and Risks
Amniocentesis
The diagnostically relevant procedures on the unborn child that have been carried out for several years include amniotic fluid testing and amniocentesis . The medical assessment of the amniotic fluid allows conclusions to be drawn about the development and condition of the child.
What is an amniocentesis?
A determining procedure, which is used in the prenatal or prenatal phase, is the amniocentesis . This procedure is also known as amniocentesis and is of central importance in connection with pregnancy prophylaxis.
The amniotic fluid test or amniotic fluid mirror can be used to detect various illnesses in the child or an impending premature birth in good time.
The amniotic fluid test opens up the possibility for many expectant parents to decide for or against a child with a physical and/or mental disability or illness. The amniotic fluid mirror is also offered as a rapid test variant.
Function, effect & goals
The amnioscopy is a medical procedure that the physicians make a conscious decision for together with the future parents. With an amniocentesis, various abnormalities and health impairments in the child can already be detected within the 15th and 18th week of pregnancy.In this context, the amniotic fluid test is used to specifically diagnose an incompatibility between the blood groups of the child and mother, early detection of a miscarriage or premature birth and the presence of Down’s syndrome . From a certain age onwards, pregnant women should always have an amniocentesis, because the older the woman, the more likely it is that the child is “not all right”.
During the amniocentesis, the pregnant woman does not experience any pain because the puncture region can be locally anesthetized. In most cases, this measure can be dispensed with for the benefit of the child. The doctor inserts a thin needle through the woman’s abdomen into the uterus . There the fetus lies embedded in the amniotic fluid.
After collecting a small amount of amniotic fluid, this sample is sent to a cytology laboratory. This is where the actual amniotic fluid examination takes place. The amniotic fluid contains various fetal cells from which the genetic information can be extracted and determined. Possible risks of health impairment can be concluded from this.
The child is not injured during the amniotic fluid examination, which requires extremely sterile work. For this purpose, the treating specialists use additional imaging devices, which, for example, enable an accompanying ultrasound recording.
In addition to the very early amniotic fluid examination, during which the child is still a fetus, an unborn child can also be examined from the 30th week of pregnancy to determine whether the lungs are developing sufficiently. In this way, it is possible to assess the child’s chances of survival and whether a premature birth must be planned.
Under these conditions, a much better postnatal (after birth) care of the infant can be realized. The amniotic fluid test is also a scientific basis to meet the wishes of parents who do not want to raise a disabled child and want a legal termination of the pregnancy .
Risks & Dangers
Basically, it is essential to think carefully about the decision to have an amniotic fluid test, because risks and side effects cannot be ruled out. Since it is an intervention in the mother’s organism and the intact environment of the fetus, disease-causing germs, for example, can be introduced. These can cause premature birth or prenatal disease in the pregnant woman and the child.
Only very rarely do injuries to the fetus occur during the amniocentesis – but they do happen. Invasion during amniocentesis can induce preterm labor and lead to miscarriage . Subsequent penetration of blood into the uterus and premature drainage of amniotic fluid cannot be ruled out after an amniocentesis test.
Parents must also be adequately informed about the risk of accidental punctures in the placenta or injuries to the tissues of the uterus. These complications cannot be ruled out with amniocentesis either during or after the procedure.
For the vast majority of pregnant women, an amniocentesis passes without complications. A slight tugging caused by contraction-like movements of the muscles is normal.
Hello! I am Lisa Newlon, and I am a medical writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry. I have a Master’s degree in Medicine, and my deep understanding of medical terminology, practices, and procedures has made me a trusted source of information in the medical world.