Amniocentesis can diagnose genetic disorders and assess fetal maturity, but carries risks such as infection, bleeding, fluid leakage, miscarriage, and fetal injury. It provides a sample of genetic material for accurate diagnosis of syndromes and can evaluate lung maturity for preterm birth. However, inaccurate diagnoses and unsuccessful procedures are possible. The risk of miscarriage is estimated to be between 1.1 and 2.2%.
Amniocentesis testing can offer families and their caregivers important information about a developing baby’s well-being. It can help doctors diagnose genetic disorders and assess whether a fetus is mature enough to survive outside the womb. However, this procedure is not risk-free. Complications of amniocentesis can include infection, bleeding, amniotic fluid leakage, miscarriage, and injury to the fetus. In some cases the procedure does not provide accurate information about the fetus.
The biggest benefit of the amniocentesis test is that it provides a sample of the genetic material of the developing fetus. This information is essential to make a more definitive prenatal diagnosis of genetic syndromes. Although ultrasounds and tests done on maternal blood can suggest conditions such as Down syndrome, amniocentesis provides a more accurate diagnosis.
Amniocentesis testing is also important in evaluating women at risk for preterm birth. The sample obtained from the procedure can be tested to assess how mature the fetus’s lungs are. Immature lungs could suggest that the woman should try to maintain her pregnancy for as long as possible to give her baby the best chance of survival after birth. Conversely, having a test that suggests mature lungs could tip the balance in favor of delivering the baby prematurely.
Unfortunately, there are a number of risks of the amniocentesis test. Some of the risks are associated with the fact that amniocentesis is an invasive procedure. There is always a chance of infection, both of the mother’s skin and of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the developing fetus. Women may bleed excessively from the procedure. Some women experience a persistent leak of amniotic fluid from the needle entry site.
Having a miscarriage after an amniocentesis is another downside to the procedure. Different researchers have estimated different rates of fetal loss after amniocentesis. In general, the post-procedure risk of miscarriage is estimated to be between 1.1 and 2.2%. This is an increase from a rate of 0.7 to 1.5% in comparable women who have not had an amniocentesis. In other words, the risk of miscarriage associated with the procedure ranges from one in 300 to one in 500.
Other risks of the amniocentesis test can be seen as negative aspects of the procedure. The needle can injure the developing fetus, although this risk is rare as it has become common practice to use ultrasound to guide the needle. Sometimes the cells obtained in the amniocentesis fluid are not representative of the genetic makeup of the developing fetus and the genetic diagnoses obtained from the analysis of these cells could be erroneous. Also, the procedure is not always successful, meaning that occasionally not enough fluid is collected for a full analysis.
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