Amniocentesis

September 2, 2007 on 8:12 pm | In Antenatal | No Comments

Amniocentesis is a medical procedure performed on a pregnant woman to withdraw a small amount of amniotic fluid from the sac surrounding the foetus. By about the 16th week of pregnancy, the developing baby is suspended in around 130ml of amniotic fluid, which the baby constantly swallows and excretes. The goal of amniocentesis is to examine a tiny amount of this fluid to obtain information about the baby - including its sex - and to detect physical abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome or spina bifida. Amniocentesis is only performed on women thought to be at higher risk of delivering a child with a birth defect.

Problems detected by amniocentesis
Amniocentesis can detect a number of disorders that will affect babies, while they are still a small foetus in the uterus. These conditions include:

Down’s syndrome.

Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.

Cystic fibrosis.

Genetic disorders - amniotic fluid samples can be DNA tested to identify a wide range of genetic disorders, including Fragile X syndrome, phenylketonuria, Tay-Sachs disease and sickle cell disease. Read more »

PREGNANCY AFTER 35 YEARS OF AGE

September 2, 2007 on 7:59 pm | In Antenatal | No Comments

PREGNANCY AFTER 35 YEARS OF AGE

While many women over 35 years have normal pregnancies, those over 35 do have special considerations for pregnancy. Making the right choices early on and working with your doctor or obstetrician can help your pregnancy be trouble-free.

Making the right choices
What’s healthy for you is often healthy for your baby. What’s harmful to you may harm your baby even more. Before and after you become pregnant:

do not use recreational or illicit drugs;

do not drink alcohol; and

do not smoke. Read more »

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