With the development of the times, the medical industry is also constantly evolving. As for prenatal examination, it is no longer limited to B-ultrasound examination. Amniotic fluid puncture examination, as a method of prenatal diagnosis, is generally suitable for mid-term pregnancy prenatal diagnosis. So what are the precautions for painless amniocentesis?
Amniotic fluid puncture, also known as amniocentesis. It is usually performed between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. Under the guidance of ultrasound, a slender needle is inserted through the pregnant woman's belly, then through the uterine wall, into the amniotic fluid cavity, and the amniotic fluid is extracted for comprehensive examination. Amniotic puncture is used to diagnose whether the fetus has chromosomal abnormalities, neural tube defects, and certain genetic metabolic diseases that can be reflected in the amniotic fluid. During puncture, a puncture needle is used to pierce through the abdominal wall of the pregnant woman and extract a small amount of amniotic fluid from the uterine cavity for examination of amniotic fluid cells and biochemistry. Amniotic fluid aspiration carries risks such as infection, miscarriage, and premature birth, but it is usually performed under ultrasound guidance, which has a relatively low risk.
Does amniocentesis hurt
Amniotic fluid puncture is generally not too painful, but it varies from person to person. Some expectant mothers may be sensitive to pain or nervous, and may feel pain.
The amniocentesis process does not require anesthesia, as the pain of injecting anesthesia may be even stronger than the amniocentesis itself. Most expectant mothers only experience mild pain upon initial penetration, similar to the pain of pricking their fingers to extract blood, which is tolerable. There is no need to worry about causing harm to the fetus. During this process, doctors will carefully avoid the fetus under ultrasound monitoring.
Due to the absence of anesthesia, some expectant mothers may feel a slight tightness, pain, or compression in their abdomen during amniocentesis, while others may not feel any discomfort. Whether they feel pain depends on individual circumstances.
Risks of amniocentesis
Amniotic fluid puncture is performed under the guidance of ultrasound, and doctors will choose a location with abundant amniotic fluid that does not harm the fetus for puncture, so it is generally very safe.
With the continuous improvement of technology and clinical techniques, the safety factor of amniocentesis has been greatly enhanced. Taking miscarriage as an example, which is of great concern to expectant mothers, literature in the last century reported a miscarriage rate of about 0.5% (1/200) [3], while in recent years, literature has reported a miscarriage rate of only 1/1600. But as an invasive examination, no one can guarantee that amniocentesis will not have any impact on the fetus and 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 borne infection: There is a certain chance of blood contact between expectant mothers and fetuses. When contact occurs, if the expectant mother's blood is Rh negative and the fetus's blood is Rh positive, there is a danger.
2. Infection: If the expectant mother has an infection, bacteria may be introduced into the amniotic sac during amniocentesis. Infection can cause high fever, uterine contractions, and/or abdominal pain, but this situation is very rare.
3. Breaking water: The incidence rate is 1%, and it will heal on its own within a few days.
4. Amniotic cavity inflammation: with an incidence rate of 0.1%, it can cause symptoms such as lower abdominal pain and fever, and is highly prone to premature birth.
5. Vaginal bleeding: The incidence rate is 2% -3%, and it will improve on its own within a few days.
6. Fetal puncture: It rarely occurs under the guidance of ultrasound. Occasionally, the fetus may suddenly move, and doctors can avoid it immediately. If accidentally punctured, it will not have a significant impact and will heal on its own.
7. Respiratory distress: A few studies have found that fetuses who have undergone amniocentesis are more likely to experience respiratory distress after birth, with an incidence rate of 1.1%, while fetuses who have not undergone amniocentesis have an incidence rate of 0.5%.
Amniotic fluid puncture technology is a simple instrument that extracts several milliliters of amniotic fluid produced during pregnancy under sterile conditions for etiological analysis to determine fetal health. While this method reduces the pain of pregnant women, there are many sequelae in the later stages, and amniocentesis requires caution.
