Parenting: Pregnancy

An amniocentesis can take place in a hospital or in a doctor's office. While lying on her back, a needle is inserted into the mother's abdomen while an ultrasound reveals the location of the fetus. It is important that the needle does not reach the fetus. Amniotic fluid is withdrawn through the needle and used for testing. Test results take one to two weeks because it is necessary for the cells to grow and develop in a lab. In the event of an amniocentesis to determine lung growth only, results are available within a few hours. While the procedure poses no risk to the mother's health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the rate of miscarriage after an amniocentesis is between one in 200 and one in 400. Some women experience pain during the needle injection and other women feel no discomfort at all. According to the American Association of Family Physicians, some women will experience mild cramping after the procedure.

An amniocentesis is truly an amazing test. By testing a few teaspoons of amniotic fluid, the test can not only detect chromosomal abnormalities and lung development, it can also determine Rh disease (Rh factor incompatible with mother's blood), fetal anemia and the baby's sex. However, there are several abnormalities and health conditions that cannot be detected by the procedure and a clear test result does not guarantee a healthy baby.

"Amniocentesis is not a medical miracle. It cannot cure abnormalities but merely diagnoses them," says Aliza Kolker Ph.D., professor of sociology at George Mason University. Kolker has co-authored "Prenatal Testing" published by Bergin and Garvey (1994; updated edition published in 1998) and many articles on this subject.

"Unfortunately, there is no treatment for most fetal abnormalities. The parents must decide whether to terminate the pregnancy or carry it to term and deal with the child's disabilities as best as they can," Kolker says. "If the pregnancy is a wanted one, the termination may be devastating. The loss is made worse by the fact that the test's results are not available until the fourth or fifth month, when the baby's 'realness' cannot be denied and the termination, if required, is physically and emotionally traumatic."

Nancy Dahler of Lake Arrowhead, California went through amniocentesis three times during her pregnancy with her third son, Grant. The first one was done due to advanced maternal age. The second and third tests were done to determine if Grant's lungs were developed sufficiently to work on their own because a premature birth was pending.

History repeated itself and Nancy was confined to bedrest and, later, hospitalization due to toxemia. Next, gestational diabetes found Nancy. Her doctor wanted to deliver the baby at 33 weeks and performed an amniocentesis to determine if Grant would be able to breathe on his own. Grant failed the test. A week later Nancy's condition improved and she was sent home to continue bedrest. A few days later, Nancy's water broke. Another amniocentesis was ordered, this time showing that Grant's lungs were mature and he was delivered via Cesarean section at 34 weeks gestation. Friends of the family brought dinners to the home for a few weeks to give Nancy time to recover and start a breastfeeding partnership with her son.