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Amnio

The Wonders of Amniocentesis

By Sharon Waldrop

"Unfortunately, there is no treatment for most fetal abnormalities," Kolker says. "The parents must decide whether to terminate the pregnancy or carry it to term and deal with the child's disabilities as best as they can. If the pregnancy is a wanted one, the termination may be devastating. The loss is made worse by the fact that the test's results are not available until the 4th or 5th month, when the baby's 'realness' cannot be denied and the termination, if required, is physically and emotionally traumatic."

Nancy Dahler of Lake Arrowhead, Calif. went through amniocentesis three times during her pregnancy with her third son, Grant. The first one was done due to advanced maternal age. The second and third tests were done to determine if Grant's lungs were developed sufficiently to work on their own because a premature birth was pending.

History repeated itself and Dahler was confined to bed rest and, later, hospitalization due to toxemia. Next, gestational diabetes found Dahler. Her doctor wanted to deliver the baby at 33 weeks and performed an amniocentesis to determine if Grant would be able to breathe on his own. Grant failed the test. A week later, Dahler's condition improved and she was sent home to continue on bed rest. A few days later, Dahler's water broke. Another amniocentesis was ordered, this time showing that Grant's lungs were mature. He was delivered via Cesarean section at 34 weeks gestation. Friends of the family brought dinners to the home for a few weeks to give Dahler time to recover and start a breastfeeding partnership with her son.