Pregnancy and Previous Blood Tests Essay

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Amniocentesis is a medical procedure in which amniotic fluid is removed from the uterus, a hollow, muscular organ where children are conceived and develop before birth. The fluid is removed and tested for certain birth defects and genetic disorders. Amniotic fluid is the fluid surrounding the fetus, or unborn baby, during pregnancy and contains fetal cells and chemicals produced by the baby. Fetal cells can be used for chromosome testing and can determine if your baby has a chromosomal disorder like Down’s syndrome. Your doctor might suggest amniocentesis when previous blood tests show a higher level of Alpha fetoprotein. Alpha fetoprotein is a protein produce by the fetus that circulates into the mother’s blood. Abnormal levels of this protein can signal birth defects in the fetus. A disorder often associated with a high level of alpha fetoprotein is Spina bifida. Spina Bifida is a birth defect in which the spine and spinal canal do not close before birth. The test also helps in the evaluation of anemia within a fetus with Rh disease. Rh disease is when the baby’s blood and the mother’s blood are incompatible. When red blood cells become old or damaged, they are broken down into a yellowish chemical called bilirubin. The amount of bilirubin found in the amniotic fluid can predict the amount of harm the fetus’s blood is experiencing due to Rh sensitization. Amniocentesis is only performed on women who are considered to be at a higher risk of delivering a child with a birth defect. If a woman has already had a child with a chromosome abnormality, a genetic birth defect, or open neural tube defects, which is when the brain or spinal cord does not form properly and is not covered by the skin, she will likely be offered an amniocentesis procedure. Another neural tube defect that can be detected by amniocentesis, along with spina bifida, is anencephaly. Anencephaly is when the baby is missing a large part of the brain and skull. Amniocentesis is typically performed
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