Patient's question:
I got married relatively late; I didn't get married until I was 33 years old. In the years following the marriage, I kept struggling with infertility, and now I've become a high-risk pregnant woman. When I went for check-ups, the doctor recommended an amniocentesis, but I'm really not keen on doing that test. Could you please ask the expert what other tests can be done if I don't want to have an amniocentesis?Doctor's answer:
Amniocentesis is a method of prenatal diagnosis. It is generally suitable for prenatal diagnosis during the second trimester of pregnancy. The optimal time for amniocentesis to obtain amniotic fluid for prenatal diagnosis is between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation. If it is too late, the fetus has already developed fully. If abnormalities are discovered at this time, it may not be suitable to continue the pregnancy, and if an abortion is necessary, it will make the procedure more difficult and increase the risk to the mother. In China, amniocentesis is generally recommended only when the Tissue Screen Ratio (TSR) is low. In China, amniocentesis is generally recommended only when the TSR is below 1/270, and it is also informed that the procedure carries a 1/200 risk of miscarriage. Abroad, it is basically required for women over 35 years old.