AMNIOCENTESIS-HERNIA-A MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST MUST KNOW-LESSON 39
What is amniocentesis and what is amniotic fluid? The amnion is the sac (membrane) which surrounds the embryo (an embryo is the fetus of 8th week age) in the uterus. A fluid accumulates within this sac, which is called amniotic fluid and can be withdrawn through a process called amniocentesis. This can be done after the fetus growth at the stage of 13th week to analyze the fetus condition. In this process, after the fluid withdrawal, the fluid will be cultured, and the cells of the fetus in the fluid are grown, and then analyzed by microscopic process. What is the importance of amniocentesis in child birth? Using this method a karyotype or classification of chromosomes are done to analyze the chromosomes in those cells. The presence of high levels of certain chemicals may indicate defects if any in the developing spinal cord and spinal column of the fetus. How is amniocentesis is performed? Amniocentesis (also referred to as amniotic fluid test or AFT), is a