5/5/08 - Alycia was told to stay in bed for a few more days. The doc want's Alycia to take it very easy during the pregnancy.

Alycia claims the baby has Ed's profile.

What is amniocentesis?

Amniocentesis is a prenatal test that allows your healthcare practitioner to gather information about your baby's health and development from a sample of your amniotic fluid. This is the fluid that surrounds your baby in the uterus.

The most common reason to have an "amnio" is to determine whether a baby has a genetic disorder or a chromosomal abnormality, such as Down syndrome. Only amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) can diagnose these problems in the womb.

Amniocentesis is usually done when a woman is between 16 and 20 weeks pregnant. Women who choose to have this test are primarily those at increased risk for genetic and chromosomal problems, in part because the test is invasive and carries a small risk of miscarriage.

What disorders and defects can amniocentesis detect?

Amniocentesis is used to detect:

Nearly all chromosomal disorders, including Down syndrome, trisomy 13, trisomy 18, and sex chromosome abnormalities (such as Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome). Amniocentesis is more than 99 percent accurate in diagnosing these conditions.

Several hundred genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and Tay-Sachs disease. The test is not used to look for all of them, but if your baby is at increased risk for one or more of these disorders, in most cases amniocentesis can usually tell you whether he has the disease

Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly.

Amniocentesis does not detect birth defects such as heart malformations or a cleft lip or palate. However, many structural defects can be picked up on the second-trimester ultrasound that's routinely done for every woman having an amnio.

How can I decide what's right for me?

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends that women of all ages be offered first- and second-trimester screening and diagnostic testing options. Your practitioner or genetic counselor should discuss the pros and cons of the available approaches with you. But ultimately, whether or not to test is a personal decision.

Many women opt for screening and then make a decision about diagnostic testing based on the initial results. Other women opt for diagnostic testing right away. (They may know that they're at high risk for a chromosomal problem or a condition that can't be detected by screening - or they may just feel that they want to know as much as possible about their baby's condition and are willing to live with the small risk of miscarriage to find out.) Some women decide to have no screening or testing.

There's no one right decision. Individual parents-to-be have different feelings about what risks are acceptable and may arrive at different conclusions when facing the same set of circumstances.

For the amnio itself, you'll lie on an examining table and your belly will be cleaned with alcohol or an iodine solution. Ultrasound is used to pinpoint a pocket of amniotic fluid a safe distance from both the baby and the placenta. This part can take up to 20 minutes.

What happens after the procedure?

You'll need to take it easy for the rest of the day, so arrange for someone to drive you home. Avoid any heavy lifting, intercourse, and air travel for the next two or three days.

You may have some minor cramping for a day or so. If you have significant cramping or vaginal spotting, or you're leaking amniotic fluid, call your practitioner immediately. They could be signs of impending miscarriage. Also call right away if you have a fever, which could be a sign of an infection. When will I get the results?
You should have the full results within two weeks. During this period, a laboratory analyzes the fluid sample, first measuring the amount of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the fluid. This shows whether there's likely to be an opening in the baby's skin, indicating a neural tube defect such as spina bifida or anencephaly.

The lab also takes some of the baby's living cells from the fluid and allows them to reproduce for a week or two, then tests the cells for chromosomal abnormalities and evidence of certain genetic birth defects. (You can also find out your baby's gender if you want to.)