I am 35 years old and my doctor has advised me to go in for an amnio. I am a little scared because I read somewhere that there is a small chance that the procedure itself could lead to a miscarriage. We have been trying for so long that I would HATE to lose the baby. Please advise. Shefali replied. Hi Parul,

I was also near 35 when I had my baby in Feb this year and my AFP test came slightly abnormal so my doc advised Amnio. Believe me, the test was not painful (just slightly more than a shot) , I had a very good doc doing it in Mumbai. There is a minimal risk but in the hands of a good doc, it shd be OK. I would advise to get done for peace of mind. All the best.

Love,
Shefali mitali kapila replied. Hi there,
I am 27 old and my quad screen test(blood test) came back abnormal, I immidiately took the amnio yeasterday and am awaiting the results. The pain was not as excruciating as I thought it would be. It is just nerve wrecking to see the that needle go into your ab. My advice will be to not to look at the procedure. Either look at your husband or close your eyes altogether. Fortunatly I had a real good Doctor do it for me. He kept talking to me to distract me all the time.
You should go for it for your baby's sake.Let me also tell you that the blood can be very inaccurate sometimes if not done on the right week. In my case, it was late.I got the amnio, anyways just for peace of mind for rest of the pregnancy.
Good Luck! jaya replied. Parul, you will be asked to get an AFP test done. if there is any possibility of risk of birth defects, it comes out in that and doctors advise if you need an amino or not. you can talk to your obgyn about ur apprehensions and they will give you the best option. have a safe pregnancy. Manisha replied. Hi Parul

I have just pasted some information here for your help.

Who needs to take the test, and why?
Amniocentesis (or \";amnio\";) is currently the most accurate test available for detecting various birth defects and certain genetic diseases. All pregnant women age 35 and over are offered amnio, because they face an increased risk of having a child with chromosomal abnormality such as Down syndrome. The test is also warranted if you have a family history of genetic disease or chromosomal abnormality, or if your ultrasound, AFP or multiple marker screening tests have yielded suspicious results. Some women who don't meet any of the criteria for the test choose to have one for their own peace of mind. Amnio also reveals the sex of the baby, though it is never given just for this reason (and your doctor can keep it a secret if you'd rather be surprised).

The test is generally considered safe. It can lead to miscarriage in about 1 in 200 to 1 in 400 women. In determining whether to offer you an amnio test, your practitioner weighs this miscarriage risk against the risk for a woman your age of having a child with a chromosomal abnormality.

Not all women who are offered amnio opt to undergo the test. If you're certain you would never terminate a pregnancy for any reason, or wouldn't want to know in advance that your baby might have special needs, you should discuss your feelings with your healthcare provider. He or she can help you decide if having amniocentesis would be worthwhile.


What's involved?
The first step of the test is an ultrasound, which is used to measure the baby and ensure that you're at least 14 weeks pregnant (taking the test earlier than that can be harmful to the developing baby). Then an antibacterial iodine solution is rubbed onto your abdomen. Next, using the ultrasound transducer to get an image of the baby's position, the doctor inserts a long, narrow needle through your abdominal wall and into your uterus. Navigating carefully via the image on the ultrasound monitor, the doctor withdraws about an ounce of amniotic fluid, the liquid that surrounds the baby and contains some of its cells. The needle is then withdrawn, and the sample is sent to the lab for analyzing. Fetal cells are grown and cultured in the lab, and then the chromosomes are analyzed for abnormalities. Couples who are carriers of genetic diseases such as Tay-Sachs or cystic fibrosis will receive a more targeted analysis of the amniotic sample.

The procedure takes about a minute and shouldn't hurt much more than having blood drawn. Afterward, you'll be advised to take it easy for a day or two. Side effects may include mild cramps, back pain, or discomfort around the needle site. Call your doctor immediately if you develop any bleeding, fluid leakage, or fever.


When are test results available, and how are they interpreted?
Probably the hardest part of having an amniocentesis is waiting for the results, which can take up to two weeks. Amnio is 99 percent accurate for detecting Downs syndrome and about 90 percent accurate for detecting other chromosomal abnormalities and spina bifida. If the lab's results indicate a problem, you will receive counseling from your practitioner and a genetic specialist. Such cases can be exceedingly difficult for expectant parents, who may face agonizing decisions at a relatively late stage of pregnancy. For this reason, many healthcare providers are turning to chorionic villus sampling (CVS), a similar test that can be performed in the first trimester. And medical researchers are busily developing diagnostic blood tests and advanced ultrasounds that deliver earlier results and may one day replace amnio altogether. Rani replied. Hi...
Before doing the amniocentesis test, i think first they do a blood test called \";Maternal serum screen test for birth defects\";. If the blood test comes positive, then there is a risk of having the Down Syndrome or any birth defects for the baby.Have they done that test to u ?And it is not necessary that the baby should have birth defects if the blood test comes positive...it is just a possiblity. Amniocentesis is 100% for detecting Down Syndrome.And as Tara said it is a routine test for little aged people. Yes...there is a chances of miscarriage in amniocentesis test. since they do the test along with the Ultrasound, hopefully there should not be a problem.Only if the baby moves to that spot at that time, then there is a chance of problem.But the expert doctors will do it for u.So don't worry. Talk to your doctor abt the percentage of risk and then finally u have to decide. If the risk is high in your case, then i feel it is better to go with the test.
Good luck... Tara replied. Hi there, In the US, amniocentesis is a routine test for all older women, so obviously it is not such a risky procedure. Also, it is really important that you take this test, because it is used for detecting abnormalities in the baby. After waiting for so long to have a baby, don't you want to be sure that you have a \";perfect\"; baby? So just go ahead and do the test, but just make sure that you go to a good doctor who has enough experience with these kind of procedures.