Patient's question:
Because of, the doctor said that during the 16-20 weeks, can it be checked accurately? I'm a little worried. Also, is amniocentesis very painful?Doctor's answer:
It is recommended to undergo amniocentesis between the 16th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. It is not painful and there is no need to worry. Amniocentesis is commonly performed during this period of pregnancy. Through the procedure of amniocentesis, amniotic fluid is collected for examination. The examination includes cell culture, sex chromosome identification, karyotype analysis, alpha-fetoprotein determination in amniotic fluid, biochemical tests of amniotic fluid, etc., to determine the maturity and health status of the fetus, and to diagnose whether the fetus is normal or has certain genetic diseases. It plays an important role in eugenics. During amniocentesis, it can be determined whether the baby has problems in the following aspects: 1. Congenital malformations: Measuring alpha-fetoprotein in the amniotic fluid can determine whether the fetus is malformed. Alpha-fetoprotein is a protein unique to the fetal period, and some congenital malformations can significantly increase the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the amniotic fluid. 2. Congenital metabolic defects: Congenital metabolic defects refer to diseases caused by hereditary enzyme deficiencies. So far, more than 100 types of congenital metabolic defects have been discovered, and more than 80 types can be diagnosed through prenatal testing of enzymes in the amniotic fluid. 3. Chromosomal abnormal diseases: The fetus lives in the amniotic fluid, and the epithelial cells of the skin, respiratory tract, digestive tract, and urinary tract fall into the amniotic fluid. These cells, after special treatment such as culture, can undergo karyotype analysis, allowing for an accurate understanding of whether the number and structure of the chromosomes in the fetal cells are normal, and for the diagnosis of chromosomal abnormal diseases. 4. Sex-linked genetic diseases: Sex-linked genetic diseases are related to gender. Through amniocentesis, the gender of the fetus can be determined, and sex-linked genetic diseases can be indirectly diagnosed, thereby preventing the birth of children with such genetic diseases.