Amniocentesis
 

Indications - Amniocentesis

When you are about 15 weeks pregnant, your doctor may offer amniocentesis. Amniocentesis is a test that detects or rules out certain inherited disorders in a fetus. It also assesses lung maturity to see if the fetus can endure an early delivery. You can also find out the baby's gender. Doctors generally offer amniocentesis to women with an increased risk of having a baby with particular disorders, including those who: Will be 35 or older when they deliver. Have a close relative with a disorder. Had a previous pregnancy or baby affected by a disorder. Have test results (such as a high or low alpha-fetoprotein count) that may indicate an abnormality. Doctors also offer amniocentesis to women with pregnancy complications, such as rh-incompatibility, that necessitate early delivery.


The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. It is provided for your general information and is not a substitute for medical care or supervised medical treatment. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. adam.com is a founding member of Hi-Ethics http://www.hiethics.com. adam.com also subscribes to the HONcode principles of the Health On the Net Foundation http://www.hon.ch and is a member of the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (URAC) Health Web Site Advisory Committee http://www.urac.org. Copyright 2001 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.