Reaction after amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is a common pregnancy test. Pregnant women can use this test method to check when they are about 16 to 20 weeks pregnant. It has good guiding significance for the health of the fetus. After the amniocentesis, pregnant women will have some symptoms to a certain extent, such as pain and small amounts of vaginal bleeding. It will cause frequent fetal movements, etc.

Reaction after amniocentesis

1 Slight pain

After amniocentesis, most pregnant women have no other reactions, but a few may feel pain, but the pain will not be severe.

Cause: The pregnant woman is more sensitive to pain, or is too nervous when the amniotic fluid is drawn.

Note: Anxious expectant mothers should receive psychological counseling before surgery. If the expectant mother is really anxious and nervous, local anesthesia can be performed and lidocaine can be injected at the puncture site to reduce the pain of the expectant mother.

2. Minor vaginal bleeding

After amniocentesis, a very small number of pregnant mothers will experience a small amount of vaginal bleeding or increased secretions. These are normal reactions and will naturally subside after a few days.

Note: Expectant mothers don’t need to worry, just rest assured and avoid strenuous exercise. If you experience abdominal pain or obvious water breaking at the same time, seek medical attention immediately. Statistics show that the probability of an accident occurring after amniocentesis will not exceed 3/1000.

3. Frequent fetal movements

The movement of the fetus changes with the external environment, and amniocentesis requires a needle to puncture the amniotic cavity and extract amniotic fluid, which will have a certain impact on the fetus. At this time, frequent fetal movements are likely to be the fetus's reaction to the puncture. As long as there is no uterine contraction, pain, etc., it is normal.

Note: After amniocentesis, expectant mothers should pay attention to counting fetal movements. Three to four fetal movements an hour are normal. If the fetus moves continuously during the day and does not move for more than six hours, it is recommended to see a hospital for treatment.

4 Risks of Amniocentesis

The success rate of amniocentesis is very high, but because it is an invasive test, there are still certain risks. Let us learn about it below.

1. Intrauterine infection. If the expectant mother is at risk of infection before the operation or if cleaning and hygiene are not done in time after amniocentesis, intrauterine infection may occur, and the infection may cause high fever, uterine contractions and/or abdominal pain.

2. Stab the fetus. Amniocentesis is a procedure that uses a thin needle to penetrate the amniotic cavity of the expectant mother to extract amniotic fluid. During this process, there is a high possibility of injuring the fetus. But don't worry, most puncture wounds are not serious and will heal on their own.

3. Blood transmission. Another potential risk of amniocentesis is blood transmission. There is a certain chance that the blood of the pregnant woman and the fetus will come into contact. When contact occurs, if the pregnant woman's blood is RH negative and the fetus's blood is RH positive, it will be dangerous.

4. Respiratory distress. A few studies have found that fetuses who underwent amniocentesis were more likely to have respiratory distress after birth, with an incidence rate of 1.1%, while the incidence rate for fetuses who did not undergo amniocentesis was 0.5%.

5. Cause water rupture. Amniocentesis requires a fine needle to pass through the abdominal and uterine walls to reach the amniotic cavity, and this procedure is likely to cause the water to break.

6. Bleeding. Amniocentesis is likely to cause bleeding in expectant mothers, and may even induce hemorrhagic shock, leading to postoperative miscarriage and endangering the fetus.

7. Cardiovascular accident. If a pregnant woman has cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, she may suffer from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular accidents due to pain or tension during the operation.