Understanding Your Amniocentesis Test Results

You are pregnant and your doctor has ordered an amniocentesis or AFT. This test involves withdrawing a sampling of the amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby. If you are over thirty five years old many doctors order this procedure to check for down syndrome. The AFT test may also be useful if some one in your family tree, or an older sibling of the fetus being tested was born with a birth defect. Questionable ultrasound results can also be investigated further with the use of amniocentesis. This test can also determine if there is infection present in the womb.

Results of amniocentesis when used to look for chromosomal disorders is considered highly accurate, on a level with the 99.9% of DNA paternity test results. Healthy amniotic fluid should not be cloudy, but clear. If there is fecal matter from the fetus in the fluid it could affect some test results, and usually is indicative of the fetus being in distress. For some of the chromosomal testing certain cells are cultured to reproduce, and then as they multiply they are checked for abnormalities as they divide and reproduce. Normal cells have forty six chromosomes, that are supposed to be organized into twenty three neat little pairs. The results from this testing can take up to a couple of weeks before the results are in. By using fluorescent in situ hybridization, called FISH in the lab, certain conditions may now be detected a little sooner. Sometimes a matter of days. If you are having an at risk pregnancy the results of the AFT can tell your doctor if the lungs of the baby have developed enough to be born yet.

The chromosomal test results will be either a negative or a positive. Negative meaning no problems detected. Positive meaning that under observation during culturing some of the cells did not pair properly, or may not have the correct number. This would be indicative of a chromosomal disorder. Birth defects such as downs syndrome, anencephaly and spina bifida if they are present, will be clearly detected. If you have a positive result from your amniocentesis testing your doctor will help you understand what the results mean and you will most likely be referred to a genetic counselor. It is very sad, but a positive result can mean that the parents will have to make the very hard decision of whether to continue to term with the pregnancy. It is not an easy decision and when deciding to go to term with the pregnancy quality of life, financial capabilities and the emotional draw and commitment the baby may require needs to be considered.