The fetus stopped the next day after amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is not a very safe technique, and it does not rule out the possibility of risks. After amniocentesis, the patient must stay in the hospital for observation for a period of time before being discharged. If the fetus is found to have stopped growing the day after amniocentesis, this situation is most likely to involve some minor complications, and you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible to check and confirm the cause.

What are the risks of amniocentesis?

Does amniocentesis hurt?

Amniocentesis is generally not too painful, but it varies from person to person. Some expectant mothers are more sensitive to pain or are more nervous and may feel pain.

Amniocentesis does not require anesthesia because the pain of the injection of anesthetic may be more intense than the amniocentesis itself. Most expectant mothers will only feel slight pain when the needle is first inserted, similar to the pain of pricking a finger to draw blood, which is bearable. There is no need to worry about causing harm to the fetus. During this process, the doctor will carefully avoid the fetus under B-ultrasound monitoring.

Since no anesthesia is used, some expectant mothers may feel a tightness in the abdomen, or a tingling or pressure during amniocentesis. Some expectant mothers may not feel any discomfort. Whether or not you feel pain depends on your individual situation.

Risks of Amniocentesis

Amniocentesis is performed under the guidance of B-ultrasound. The doctor will choose a location with abundant amniotic fluid and will not harm the fetus for the puncture, so it is generally very safe.

With the continuous improvement of science and technology and clinical technology, the safety factor of amniocentesis has been greatly improved. Taking miscarriage, which is of greatest concern to expectant mothers, as an example, literature from the last century reported that the miscarriage rate was about 0.5% (1/200), while literature in recent years has reported that the miscarriage rate caused by it is only 1/1600. However, as an invasive examination, no one can guarantee that amniocentesis will not cause any impact on the fetus and the expectant mother. In addition, the main complications of amniocentesis include bleeding, infection, amniotic fluid leakage, respiratory distress, premature birth, fetal injury, miscarriage, etc.

Complications of Amniocentesis

1. Blood transmission: There is a certain chance that the blood of the expectant mother and the fetus will come into contact. When contact occurs, if the blood of the expectant mother is Rh-negative and the blood of the fetus is Rh-positive, there will be danger.

2. Infection: If the expectant mother has an infection, bacteria may be brought into the amniotic sac during amniocentesis. The infection can cause high fever, uterine contractions and/or abdominal pain, but this situation is very rare.

3. Water rupture: The incidence rate is 1%, and it will heal on its own within a few days.

4. Intra-amniotic inflammation: The incidence rate is 0.1%. It can cause symptoms such as lower abdominal pain and fever, and is very likely to lead to premature birth.

5. Vaginal bleeding: The incidence rate is 1%-2%, which will improve on its own within a few days.

6. Fetal puncture: This rarely happens under the guidance of ultrasound. Occasionally the fetus will move suddenly, and the doctor can usually avoid it immediately. If it is accidentally punctured, it will not have much impact and will heal on its own.

7. Respiratory distress: A few studies have found that fetuses that have undergone amniocentesis are more likely to have respiratory distress problems after birth, with an incidence rate of 1.1%, while fetuses that have not undergone amniocentesis are 0.5%.

Do I need to fast for amniocentesis?

Generally, you don't need to fast for amniotic fluid examination, because the living cells and clear fluid in the amniotic fluid are not affected by diet. However, it is best to go in the morning, because the puncture cannot be done immediately after registration. Some examinations are needed, such as measuring body temperature, listening to fetal heart rate, B-ultrasound, etc., to determine the position of the placenta, fetal condition, amniotic fluid condition, etc., and then decide whether to perform the puncture.

Precautions before amniocentesis

1. If you have any abnormal conditions such as cold, fever, skin infection, etc. 3-7 days before the operation, please inform the doctor during the preoperative registration.

2. If you have a history of allergies, special diseases or other situations that need to be explained, please inform the doctor during preoperative registration.

Precautions after amniocentesis

1. You must sit and rest for at least 2 hours after the operation before you can go home. For out-of-town patients, it is best for them to rest in a hotel near the hospital that night and go home the next day to avoid excessive fatigue after the operation.

2. After the operation, you should pay attention to rest more and avoid strenuous exercise and physical labor such as lifting heavy objects.

3. If you experience abdominal pain, abdominal distension, vaginal discharge, bleeding, fever, etc. within three days after the operation, you should go to the obstetrics and gynecology department of the hospital as soon as possible.