What is Amniocentesis Test

Amniotic Fluid Test or Down Syndrome Test

Are you wondering what is an amniocentesis test? Here you will find  some comprehensible information about  amniocentesis, amniocentesis risks and benefits as well as advice on homeopathic remedies that can help you deal with anxiety  before and after you go through this procedure . You will also find some words of encouragement on how to deal with the result of the test.

An amniocentesis test (also referred to as amniotic fluid test or AFT) is a simple medical procedure used in prenatal diagnosis of chromosome disorder and fetal infections. During this procedure a small amount of amniotic fluid, which contains fetal tissues, is removed from the amnion or amniotic sac surrounding the fetus, and the fetal DNA is examined for genetic  abnormalities and chromosome disorder.


Amniocentesis Procedure

Before starting   the procedure,  local anesthetic can be given to the mother in order to relieve the possible pain or discomfort felt during the insertion of the needle used to withdraw the fluid.

After the local anesthetic is in effect, a needle is usually inserted through the mother’s abdominal wall, then through the wall of the uterus, and finally into the amniotic sac.With the help of ultrasound-guidance, the doctor carefully punctures the sac in an area away from the fetus and extracts approximately 20 ml of amniotic fluid.

During the Amniocentesis test or prenatal genetic diagnosis , fetal cells floating in the amniotic fluid are separated from the extracted sample. The cells are then grown in a culture medium and later fixed and stained. Under a microscope the chromosomes are examined for abnormalities and chromosome disorder.

The most common abnormalities detected are Down syndrome (trisomy 21), Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18), and Turner syndrome (monosomy X). In regard to the fetus, the puncture heals and the amniotic sac replenishes the liquid over the next 24–48 hours.

Amniocentesis   can also be used for prenatal sex discernment and that is why this procedure has legal restrictions in some countries.Because of the risks of Amniocentesis  it is advisable to do it only if there is chance of chromosome disorder and genetic abnormalities.

In fact the gender of the baby should not matter if the parent’s  level of awareness on the nobility of the soul is high, hopefully the question of gender of a pure child becomes less important and Amniocentesis test  will only be used when there is a chance of possible chromosomal disorders and developmental abnormality .

In that case the parents, in common consultation with the skilled physician, can come to a conclusion of what to do next.


What to expect if the Amniotic Test results abnormal?

Before choosing to have an amniocentesis, it would be very important to think what kind of impact  a positive test may cause on you. Although, in most cases the result for abnormalities turn out negative It can be a very difficult time and you need to be ready for the good news and the bad news .

 Making a   decision after receiving a positive test result  may take you through harsh times of anxiety and confusion that you need to overcome to be able to you need to  make a decision on how to proceed with the pregnancy.

Despite the results, it is always your choice to give birth to a baby whose noble soul is intact,  yet his  body will have many more challenges to deal with in this life. Yet a pregnant woman whose motherhood has been partly revealed has the capacity and all the means to make her mind and think what will be best herself  and  the baby.

Below you can find   some thoughts  that might help you  if Amniocentesis test  turns out  positive and you have to make a decision:

  •  Use  the power of prayer and  meditation.
  • Have series of consultations with specialists as well as parents of developmentally abnormal children. See what kind of challenges they have and ask them what qualities they think they have or need to be able to deal with a child with special needs.
  • Trust your own feminine intuition and, if you are feeling secure by the presence of an understanding partner, consult with him, hear him and together make your mind in unity.  You can be sure that if you make a decision in unity the truth of it will become apparent to you even if you were not so sure when you made that decision. Unity is far more important than the truth.

Homeopathic Remedies to Relieve Anxiety

To help you ease the situation before and after  an Amniocentesis test, we have made a careful selection of some homeopathic remedies that can be useful for  you all along the way if you need to go through this procedure.

  • Take Aconitum CH15 or C12 ( 5 pellets) once for a sudden fear feeling or shock. It might happen when you hear about the news of going for  amniocentesis or when you hear about chromosome disorders in your pregnancy or even risks of amniocentesis.
  • Take Arnica CH15 or C12 ( 5 pellets)the night before the test, the morning of the test and once more after the Amniocentesis test.
  • Take Gelsemium CH15 ( 5 pellets) once before the test to ease  anxiety or excitement you may have when you think about Amniocentesis risks which are not actually as we may think.(read below)
  • Take Ledum Palustre CH9 or C6 if there is a sharp pain sensation after the Amniotic fluid test.

Risks of Amniocentesis

An Amniocentesis test  is performed between the 15th and 20th week of pregnancy; performing this test earlier may result in fetal injury. A recent study (2006) has indicated the risk may actually be much lower than what we have heard or read, perhaps as low as 1 in 1,600 (0.06%).(1)

(1) Eddleman, Keith A.; Malone, Fergal D.; Sullivan, Lisa; Dukes, Kim; Berkowitz, Richard L.; Kharbutli, Yara; Porter, T Flint; Luthy, David A. et al. (2006). “Pregnancy loss rates after midtrimester amniocentesis”. Obstet Gynecol 108 (5): 1067–72. doi:10.1097/01.AOG.0000240135.13594.07.

There is a small risk of miscarriage ( 1 in 100)  and a small risk of  infection ( 1 in 1,000) as well   that can rarely occur after an amniocentesis test. This procedure is developed by high trained physicians, so risks are lower day by day.

We hope this page has helped you to feel at ease about the Amniocentesis test and we wish you a smooth and healthy pregnancy. If you feel the information you have found here has helped you,  please share it with other women who may be in need of comfort before, during or after their pregnancy.

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Homeopathic remedies are the foundation of homeopathy, a special type of natural healing treatment that dates back to 1796 when a German physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann developed it and ever since it became popular all over the world specially in Europe and in North America.

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