Patient's question:
My husband has thalassemia, and I didn't check carefully, worried it might be inherited to the baby in my belly. Now I'm 2 months pregnant and want to do an amniocentesis for a thorough check. Is it safe for pregnant women to have an amniocentesis?Doctor's answer:
To perform an amniocentesis to carefully examine the fetal condition, there are also recommendations regarding the gestational age. Amniocentesis is typically conducted between the early stages of pregnancy, specifically between weeks 16 and 20, because at this time the amount of amniotic fluid is relatively high (approximately 200-400 milliliters). This not only makes it easier to extract and avoids causing fetal injury, but also ensures a higher survival rate of fetal cells after culture, facilitating further examination. If the procedure is performed too early, due to the lower amount of amniotic fluid in the pregnant woman, it may have adverse effects on the fetus. Delaying the procedure results in a lower cell survival rate, which is beneficial for in-depth analysis. Generally, there is little risk, and it will not lead to miscarriage.