Amniocentesis under ultrasound guidance

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ly Thi Thanh Nha - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang. Doctor Nha has strengths and experience in fetal malformation ultrasound, 3D, 4D fetal ultrasound.

1. What is amniocentesis?

Amniotic fluid is the water that surrounds the fetus in the mother's uterus. Amniotic fluid contains some fetal cells, so chromosomes can be identified.
Amniocentesis is one of the prenatal testing techniques. The doctor will use a needle to withdraw a certain amount of amniotic fluid from the inside of the uterus of the pregnant woman through the abdominal wall. This process is done through ultrasound guidance for safety. After the amniotic fluid is collected, it will be sent for genetic analysis.
Amniocentesis is usually indicated after the 16th week of pregnancy. This is the right time for the uterus to have enough amniotic fluid, which can remove a certain amount of amniotic fluid without adversely affecting the fetus.

2. Indications for amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is not one of the routine pregnancy tests. Only a few cases where the baby is suspected of having a high risk of birth defects is amniocentesis indicated. Careful consideration should be given to the baby's condition before and after amniocentesis.
Other indications for amniocentesis include:
Pregnant women over 35 years old Parents with certain genetic disorders Have ever given birth to a child with a birth defect Have had a baby with a chromosomal disorder Test results High-risk Double test and Triple test. Audio recordings detect fetal abnormalities such as cleft lip, cleft palate...

3. The role of ultrasound in amniocentesis

To get amniotic fluid, the doctor inserts a fine needle into the uterus. Amniotic fluid surrounds the baby, so amniocentesis should be performed under ultrasound guidance to help the doctor see exactly where the needle is, making sure it doesn't affect the fetus.

4. Ultrasound-guided amniocentesis

The doctor explains to the patient about the signs of suspected birth defects in the fetus, gives the reason and purpose of performing amniocentesis The doctor considers the possibility of safety, indications, contraindications Before proceeding with the procedure. During amniocentesis, the patient needs to hold urine to stretch the bladder Amniocentesis is done in the operating room. The procedure must be safe: wear a mask, wash hands with antiseptic, wear gloves, wear clothes. Sterile Sterilization of the intended site of needle puncture Local anesthesia Uterine needle puncture through ultrasound guidance Withdrawal of about 10ml of amniotic fluid or more depending on the indication for analytical testing Amniotic fluid transferred to the laboratory Light compression bandages At the end of the procedure, the doctor instructs the pregnant woman to rest and monitor for abnormal signs To reduce the unwanted risks of amniocentesis, Vinmec International Hospital currently applies the Pre-screening method. non-invasive birth (NIPT). This is the most effective and safe test method available today, performed right from the 10th week of pregnancy through a mother's blood sample. Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPT) analyzes fetal free DNA in maternal blood to screen for birth defects syndromes that the fetus may have. Only 7 - 10 ml of maternal peripheral blood is needed to test for Down syndrome, Edwards. Patau... and many other fetal syndromes with a high accuracy that surpasses conventional tests.

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