Harms and Benefits

Amniocentesis has both benefits and harms.

Intended benefits	Risks and disadvantages
If you have a family history of an inherited disorder you may wish to find out whether your baby will also have the disorder and make choices about your pregnancy. If you have had a child or previous pregnancy with a chromosome disorder you may wish to find out whether your baby has the same condition and make choices about your pregnancy. If you have an inherited condition you may wish to find out if your baby has the same condition. If your screening test shows a higher chance of having a baby with Down’s syndrome you may wish to find out if your baby has Down’s syndrome. If an ultrasound scan shows an anomaly, you may wish to have an amniocentesis to find out if your baby does or does not have a chromosome problem.	One miscarriage occurs in every 100 procedures (one in 100, 1%). A serious infection occurs in less than one in 1000 procedures. Premature rupture of the membranes (around the baby in the womb) may occur. The baby is sometimes delivered early. Mild abdominal discomfort or cramps, and vaginal bleeding may occur after an amniocentesis. Occasionally the test result can be difficult for the doctors to understand and you may not get a definite answer from the test. Occasionally the test might find that your baby has a different problem from the one which is being tested for. Some chromosome changes are so small they may not show up on the results.

Intended benefits

If you have a family history of an inherited disorder you may wish to find out whether your baby will also have the disorder and make choices about your pregnancy.
If you have had a child or previous pregnancy with a chromosome disorder you may wish to find out whether your baby has the same condition and make choices about your pregnancy.
If you have an inherited condition you may wish to find out if your baby has the same condition.
If your screening test shows a higher chance of having a baby with Down’s syndrome you may wish to find out if your baby has Down’s syndrome.
If an ultrasound scan shows an anomaly, you may wish to have an amniocentesis to find out if your baby does or does not have a chromosome problem.

One miscarriage occurs in every 100 procedures (one in 100, 1%).
A serious infection occurs in less than one in 1000 procedures.
Premature rupture of the membranes (around the baby in the womb) may occur.
The baby is sometimes delivered early.
Mild abdominal discomfort or cramps, and vaginal bleeding may occur after an amniocentesis.
Occasionally the test result can be difficult for the doctors to understand and you may not get a definite answer from the test.
Occasionally the test might find that your baby has a different problem from the one which is being tested for.
Some chromosome changes are so small they may not show up on the results.