How long does the amniocentesis procedure take?

Amniocentesis is a very common examination method. Its examination method is very simple, so pregnant women do not need to worry too much. Generally speaking, the operation time is very short, it only takes a moment. Just make adequate preparations before the amniocentesis. After the operation, pregnant women should strengthen good conditioning. Let's take a look at this aspect.

How long does the amniocentesis procedure take?

Amniocentesis is a very simple operation that takes only a moment and does not require any special preparation. You can eat whatever you want, as long as you get enough rest and relax, it will be fine. It is recommended that you pay attention to rest and strengthen your nutrition.

When is amniocentesis performed?

The best time to do amniocentesis is between 17 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. At this time, the amount of amniotic fluid is relatively large and the fetus is small. It is not easy to injure the fetus when extracting amniotic fluid with a needle. Moreover, extracting 20-30 ml of amniotic fluid will not have adverse effects on the development of the fetus. The most important thing is that there are many live cells in the amniotic fluid during this period (accounting for 30%), and the success rate of cell culture is high.

How to do amniocentesis

How to perform amniocentesis? Amniocentesis is a prenatal diagnostic method in which a very small amount of amniotic fluid is obtained after puncturing the amniotic cavity and the amniotic fluid is analyzed. It is usually used as an auxiliary examination for Down syndrome screening and the determination of certain genetic diseases.

Amniocentesis is not necessary for expectant mothers who are at low risk for Down syndrome screening, because it carries certain risks. For expectant mothers who are at high risk of Down syndrome in the mid-term screening, amniocentesis must be performed to confirm whether the fetus is a Down syndrome baby. Only through amniocentesis can the chance of birth defects be reduced to the greatest extent possible.

The steps for amniocentesis are as follows:

1. Expectant mothers with indications should first undergo B-ultrasound to determine the position of the placenta and the condition of the fetus to avoid accidental injury to the placenta;

2. After selecting the insertion point, disinfect the skin, spread a disinfectant towel, perform local anesthesia, and use a lumbar puncture needle with a needle core to vertically pierce the selected point;

3. When the needle passes through the abdominal wall and uterine wall, there will be two empty sensations, and the needle core should be removed;

4. Use a 2 ml syringe to draw out 2 ml of amniotic fluid and discard it. This portion of amniotic fluid may contain maternal cells.

5. Use a 20 ml empty needle to draw out 20 ml of amniotic fluid, and put them into two sterile test tubes, and cover them;

6. Remove the needle, cover with sterile gauze, apply pressure for - minutes, and let the expectant mother rest in bed for 2 hours;

7. The chromosome karyotype is obtained after 7-14 days of amniotic fluid culture, and then the chromosome is observed and analyzed to see if there is any abnormality.