What is Amniocentesis?
Amniocentesis is a transabdominal procedure that passes a needle through your abdomen to extract a small amount of the amniotic liquid from the uterus. This sample fluid is analyzed to study the DNA sample of your baby.
Let’s talk about why miscarriage occurs after amniocentesis, the associated risk, and the signs of miscarriage after an amniocentesis procedure to look for in this article.
Causes of miscarriage after amniocentesis
- This invasive procedure exposes your baby to a certain level of infection, which increases the chances of miscarriage.
- There can be needle injury to your baby. But ultrasound procedures that guide the needle’s path have greatly reduced this risk factor a multitude of times.
- A damage in the amniotic membrane that can possibly cause fluid leakage.
Importance of Understanding The Associated Risk
Many women are hesitant to undergo this procedure before understanding the risk of miscarriage is likely to be less than 1%.
The risk of miscarriage after amniocentesis is much lower than the miscarriage, which happens commonly during the end of the first trimester or in the second trimester.
This scenario is the same for both singleton or multiple pregnancies.
What Are The Signs Of Miscarriage after Amniocentesis?
In general, the symptoms of miscarriage after amnio show within 3 days of the procedure. But in rare cases, it might show up after 2 or 3 weeks later.
The signs of miscarriage after amniocentesis and medical miscarriage are almost similar, and you cannot judge which could be the underlying cause.
Call your doctor immediately if,
- Cramps-like pain get intense and last for several hours.
- Heavy vaginal bleeding happens.
- Fluid or tissue-like substance passing from your vagina
- The body temperature rises or chills.
- You feel a reduced or rapid movement of your baby in the womb.
How To Avoid Miscarriage After Amniocentesis:
Perform your test with the guidance of an experienced obstetrician.
Don’t believe in statistics because no human beings are numbers. Everybody is different. Hence, discuss your personal risk factors with the doctor before the procedure.
Bottom Line:
It’s important to ask your medical professional any questions and the signs of miscarriage after amniocentesis before the procedure.
Genetic counseling can help you make sense of a checklist of questions regarding the test and weigh the possible risks and benefits that apply specifically to you and your child, rather than general statistics.
