What diseases can be detected by amniocentesis? Know about Down syndrome early

For many expectant mothers, they are more worried about whether the baby in their belly is healthy. So when the pregnancy reaches a certain period, they will go to the hospital for amniocentesis. However, many expectant mothers do not know much about this examination and do not know what it is specifically for. So the following will introduce to you what diseases can amniocentesis detect?

1. Some fetal excretions or shed cells can be detected in the amniotic fluid. Therefore, the maturity of the fetus and some chromosomal abnormalities can be detected by testing the amniotic fluid. For example, amniotic fluid can be drawn at 16-20 weeks of pregnancy to understand the changes in chromosome number and structure. Amniocentesis is a method of prenatal diagnosis. Amniocentesis is used to confirm whether the fetus has chromosomal abnormalities, neural tube defects, and certain hereditary metabolic diseases that can be reflected in the amniotic fluid. Generally, amniocentesis is performed at 16-20 weeks of pregnancy. Too early or too late is not conducive to the diagnosis of the disease.

2. Pregnant women can determine the sex of the fetus from the chromosomes in the amniotic fluid through amniocentesis. The endocrine substances contained in the amniotic fluid can also help determine the sex of the fetus. Parents can know the gender of the fetus earlier and make preparations for daily necessities early. By testing the amniotic fluid of the pregnant woman, the risk of the fetus suffering from Down syndrome can be determined. This procedure is also called Down screening. The Down screening test can screen out 70-80% of children with Down syndrome.

3. Down syndrome is a sporadic disease, and every pregnant woman may give birth to a child with Down syndrome. The chance of having a baby with Down syndrome increases with the age of the pregnant woman. Children with Down syndrome have severe intellectual disabilities, are born with mental retardation and dementia, are unable to take care of themselves, and have complex cardiovascular diseases. They require long-term care from their families, which places a huge mental and financial burden on a family.

4. Amniocentesis can only determine the risk of Down syndrome, but cannot accurately indicate that the fetus is definitely a Down syndrome baby. Even if the amniocentesis result shows that the pregnant woman is very likely to give birth to a baby with Down syndrome, it does not mean that the newborn will definitely be a baby with Down syndrome. If the test results show that the probability of the pregnant woman giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome is very small, it cannot guarantee that the fetus will not be a baby with Down syndrome.