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amniocentesis

Indications: - prenatal diagnosis of genetic disease in fetuses of high-risk pregnancies Procedure: - transabdominal aspiration of amniotic fluid - performed under direct ultrasound control with continuous needle tip visualization to avoid bloody taps - the presence of blood interferes with amniocyte culture - performed at 10-13 weeks of gestation [2] Complications: - overall fetal loss < 24 weeks gestation 1.0% vs 0.94% (with vs without amniocentesis) - fetal loss attibuted to amniocentesis: 0.06% [2] Notes: - also see: - chorionic villus sampling - multiplexed maternal plasma DNA sequencing

Related

chorionic villus sampling multiplexed maternal plasma DNA sequencing; cell-free DNA aneuploidy screening (cfDNA)

General

obstetrics (OB) fine needle aspiration (FNA)/biopsy

References

  1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999.
  2. Eddleman KA et al, Pregnancy loss rates after midtrimester amniocentesis. Obstet Gynecol 2006, 108:1067 PMID: 17077226