Amniocentesis: Advantages vs. Disadvantages & Ethics
Amniocentesis has become of the most controversial and fastest growing trends of
expecting parents. The pros and cons of this contentious prenatal test have continually been
increasing. Amniocentesis is a prenatal test that allows a doctor to gather information about a
baby’s health and development from a sample of amniotic fluid. The test is most commonly
done when the women is between 15 and 18 weeks pregnant. The test is used to determine
whether the baby has genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. Amniocentesis has recently caused
a great deal of controversy in the news at doctor offices in the United States. After comparing
the pros and cons it is eminent that amniocentesis is an important test that should be offered to
those pregnant women who desire to have it.
Amniocentesis offers many advantages to the expecting mother. This test determines
whether the unborn baby has genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. It identifies several
hundred genetic disorders including some of the most common such as Down syndrome and
Edward’s syndrome. It can also identify other genetic disorders such as Tay-Sachs disease,
Huntington’s disease, Sickle cell disease, and cystic fibrosis. Other testing techniques such as
ultrasounds pick up on these problems. Only amniocentesis is able to provide the information
needed to diagnosis these problems in the womb. Amniocentesis can also indicate whether the
baby is at risk for spina bifida and anencephaly. The test is more than 99 percent accurate in
diagnosing these various conditions. It is the only test that can provide results which are
accurate. Other important reasons to have the test include checking the well being of the baby.
This is important if the mother has blood sensitization, such as Rh sensitization. Also the test
can determine whether the baby’s lungs are mature enough for an early delivery if the mother
appears to be in premature labor.
As amniocentesis has become more popular more women opt for the test to ensure that
their child is in perfect health. More than 95 percent of the high-risk women who have
amniocentesis receive good news from their results. Only about 5 percent will be found to have
a baby with a problem. This test is usually offered to those who are found to have a somewhat
increased risk of having a baby with a chromosomal or genetic defect. The risk of having a baby
with one of these defects increases with age. Women 35 or older who are pregnant run a much
higher risk of having a baby with one of these defects. Women who have other tests such as the
multiple marker screen or nuchal fold scan may receive results that suggest their baby might
have a problem. By having the amniocentesis they can get accurate results. Amniocentesis is an
important test for mothers to have that have already had a child with a birth defect. Also, it is
imperative for families with a strong history that indicates that the baby may be at high risk of
inheriting a genetic disorder to have the test. Women who are taking Depakote or Tegretol use
this test to make sure that the drugs they are taking aren’t hurting their baby.
By having amniocentesis women who have babies which are diagnosed with one of these
diseases gain advanced knowledge of the special needs that the child may need. Parents are then
able to prepare before the birth to meet the particular needs of the child. They can also then
switch to a hospital that is better equipped for the birth of their child. After being found, some of
the problems can even be treated in the utero, such as biotin dependence and MMA.
Although amniocentesis offers many advantages there are also various other
disadvantages. Any women thinking about having the test should be fully aware of the
complications and disadvantages. There is the slight risk that the test could lead the mother to
have a miscarriage. The risk of miscarriage due to amniocentesis is between one in 200 and one
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in 400 (depending on the skill and experience of the doctor performing it). There is also a risk of
uterine infection in the days following the procedure. This can also lead to miscarriage. Early
amniocentesis causes a 2%-3% risk of spontaneous abortion. Although mislead to be, testing is
not always 100% accurate. Some baby’s are still born with birth defects. Each of these risks
should be discussed and seriously considered before having the surgery.
Besides the health risks, this has also become a very controversial topic from ethical
perspectives. Women who have the test done and receive results that their baby has a
chromosomal or genetic disorder are making decisions that are, to many, unethical choices.
After the test comes back positive couples feel that they are faced with the choice of either
raising a child with a defect or having an abortion. Frequently, more and more women have
been having abortions. This has raised several ethical questions about the uses of the test. Is it
right for couples that find that their child has a defect to resort to abortion? Currently, more and
more data has evolved about healthy babies being misdiagnosed and killed by abortion. One
reason to consider the importance of misdiagnoses through amniocentesis is the trend towards
women having babies later in life. Also causing controversy are hospitals. Some have been
criticized for apparent discrimination against handicapped babies who needed life-saving heart
surgery. Another ethical disadvantage is the use of this test along with others to find the sex of
the child. Some couples who find the sex of the child is not what they desired have resorted to
abortion. This again raises a question of ethics. Amniocentesis has appeared in the news more
recently with topics concerning abortion.
Amniocentesis has become increasingly more important for women who are planning to
be pregnant or are already. Women must consider first the risks of having the test done, and
second what she will do if the test does show up positive. Yet, more and more women today are
weighing those risks to discover if their baby does have a genetic or chromosomal defect. If the
woman does find out that her unborn child has a defect she is able to prepare herself to meet the
specific needs that are associated with the disease. Doctors and hospitals are also able to prepare
for complications that may happen at birth. Consequently, some women suffer miscarriages and
infection from the test. Others who find that their child does have a disease have an abortion and
kill a child that would have lived. After weighing the advantages and disadvantages of
amniocentesis it is up to the mother to decide if the test is something she would like done. I
strongly believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. This test is imperative to
providing the mother with information about her child. Those who do choose abortion are
making their own choices, but can be viewed as unethical. There are few tests done in the
medical field that exist without either medical risks or ethical controversy. Yet, though the use
of amniocentesis, doctors and researchers may be able, in the future, to discover ways of treating
defects while the baby is still in the mother. Thus, in that way they are advancing technology
and science while helping the generations to come who may experience the birth of a child with
a genetic or chromosomal defect.
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