Amniocentesis

A procedure in which a sample of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus is removed from the mother’s uterus for testing.

The withdrawing of a sample of amniotic fluid, culturing the cells shed by the fetus, and examining them for biological and chromosomal defects.

A procedure which involves taking a test sample of the amniotic fluid during pregnancy using a hollow needle and syringe.

A genetic screening procedure that involves withdrawing amniotic fluid from the sac surrounding the fetus, using a needle (guided by ultrasound) inserted through the abdomen. The fetal cells in the fluid can then be analyzed for many possible disorders, such as Down’s syndrome, spina bifida, and glycogen storage diseases; tests also show the sex of the fetus, important in assessing the risk of sex-linked diseases. Amniocentesis is performed at about 14 to 16 weeks into the pregnancy, later than such other procedures as chorionic villus sampling, and the laboratory analysis takes longer; it also carries some risk of miscarriage and of fetal or maternal hemorrhage. Even so, it is often recommended for women over 35, for those with abnormally high alpha fetoprotein levels, and for those whose family history indicates a higher-than-normal possibility of genetic disorders.

Extraction of amniotic fluid by needle puncture through the abdominal wall of a pregnant woman to aid in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities (e.g., Down’ syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease). The test cannot be performed until about the 15th or 16th week of pregnancy and is recommended when a hereditary pattern in the family or the mother’s age (over 35) increases the chance of fetal defects.

Transabdominal needle aspiration of amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac for diagnostic purposes.

Insertion of a needle through the abdomen into a pregnant woman’s uterus (womb) to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the fetus) for detection of the sex and various genetic factors or diseases of the unborn child.

A test commonly performed between weeks 14 and 16 of pregnancy to diagnose hereditary diseases and congenital defects in a fetus. Amniocentesis involves removing some of the amniotic fluid that surrounds a fetus in the uterus. The test is performed in women thought to have an increased risk of bearing a child with a genetic disorder or other detectable birth defects.

Withdrawal of a sample of the fluid (amniotic fluid) surrounding an embryo in the womb by piercing the amniotic sac through the abdominal wall (performed usually in the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy). As the amniotic fluid contains cells from the embryo (mostly shed from the skin), cell cultures enable chromosome patterns to be studied so that prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities (such as ‘Down’s syndrome) can be made. Metabolic errors and other diseases, such as spina bifida, can also be diagnosed prenatally from the biochemistry of the cells or that of the fluid. The sex of the fetus can also be determined. Although the risks of amniocentesis in skilled hands are extremely low, there is no point in undertaking it unless the parents agree to a termination of the pregnancy if a serious abnormality is discovered.

An established diagnostic technique for detecting genetic abnormalities in the fetus. A sample of fluid is removed by means of a hollow needle which is inserted through the abdominal wall into the amniotic sac (bag of waters) containing the fetus. Cells floating in the fluid are grown in laboratory culture for about two weeks, and then examined under the microscope. The procedure gives information at about the fifteenth week of pregnancy. Another procedure under investigation, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), may be employed earlier in pregnancy, but both procedures have their unique values.

Transabdominal puncture of the amniotic sac under ulta-sound guidance using a needle and syringe in order to remove amniotic fluid. The sample obtained is studied chemically and cytologically to detect genetic and biochemical disorders and maternal-fetal blood incompatibility and, later in the pregnancy, to determine fetal maturity. The procedure also allows for transfusion of the fetus with platelets or blood and instillation of drugs for treating the fetus.

A procedure in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is removed from the uterus and examined for the presence of substances that may indicate an inherited disorder in the fetus.

The obstetric procedure used to aid in diagnosing fetal abnormalities in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is removed for analysis.

An intervention conducted during the 16-18th week of pregnancy, involving the careful insertion of a needle through the woman’s abdominal region into the uterus, with the aim of extracting a small sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing fetus. This extracted fluid or the cells contained within it can subsequently be utilized for a range of examinations to gather valuable insights regarding genetic disorders and other medical conditions present in the unborn child.

Amniocentesis is a diagnostic technique employed to extract a small quantity of amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac, the protective membrane encompassing the developing fetus within the uterus. This procedure entails the use of an ultrasound-guided syringe, ensuring precise localization and withdrawal of the fluid.

The amniotic fluid harbors fetal cells that can be utilized for chromosome analysis, enabling the detection or exclusion of chromosomal abnormalities like Down’s syndrome, as well as genetic analysis to identify genetic disorders such as hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and Tay-Sachs disease. Furthermore, the chemical composition of the amniotic fluid offers valuable insights, aiding in the diagnosis or exclusion of developmental abnormalities like spina bifida. Additionally, amniocentesis allows for the assessment of the severity of rhesus incompatibility and the maturity of the fetal lungs.