Question

What is amniocentesis? Why is there a statutory ban on this?

Answer 1

A comprehensive anatomical ultrasound will be carried out prior to amniocentesis. However, amniocentesis is undertaken to screen for certain forms of genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality. This test is also used to determine the sex of the developing foetus.

Complete answer: Amniocentesis is a prenatal examination where a low concentration of amniotic fluid is collected from the sac from around foetus for screening. The amniotic fluid sample is retrieved by a needle biopsy inserted into the uterus through the abdomen under ultrasound-guided. The fluid will then be sent to the lab for research. Since amniocentesis poses a tiny risk to both the mother and the child, prenatal testing is generally offered to women who may be at high risk for hereditary defects. Amniocentesis is performed when a woman is around 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy. Women who choose to have this test are predominantly at higher risk for genetic and chromosome defects, partially since this test is invasive and includes a significant risk of miscarriage. This procedure could be used for prenatal gender discrimination and therefore this technique has legal limitations in certain countries. Since this technique can easily detect the gender-based on chromosome pattern, it is on the statutory ban by the government so those female infants will not be killed (female foeticide).
Additional Information
The reliability of amniocentesis is nearly 99.4%. Occasionally, amniocentesis may be inaccurate due to technical reasons, as the failure to report an adequate amount of amniotic fluid or the reluctance of the cells to grow once they are cultured. Following amniocentesis, the healthcare professional will continue to have an ultrasound to monitor the baby's heart rate. They can feel cramping or moderate pelvic pain after such an amniocentesis. Amniotic fluid might be a treasure trove of multipotent mesenchymal, hematopoietic, synaptic, epithelial, and endothelial stem cells. The major benefit of using amniotic stem cells above embryonic ones is that they've had side-step ethical concerns amongst anti-abortion protestors by obtaining pluripotent lines by indifferent cells avoiding damage to the foetus or loss of the embryo. When used to treat the same person they originated from, such stem cells will also be hampered by the donor/recipient concern that has so far held back all attempts to use donor-derived stem cells in treatment.

Note: The amniocentesis administered is to assess if an infant has any birth mutations or chromosome anomalies, such as Down syndrome. Amniocentesis or some other procedure called chorionic villus sampling can detect these problems in the uterus. These prenatal examinations may prove beneficial to expectant parents, as they make it feasible to assess the impact of foetal health and the feasibility of treatment.