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How you prepare

By Mayo Clinic staff

If you're having amniocentesis done before week 20 of pregnancy, your bladder must be full during the procedure. Drink plenty of fluids before your appointment. After 20 weeks of pregnancy, your bladder must be empty during amniocentesis.

Your health care provider might ask you to sign a consent form before the procedure begins. Consider asking someone to accompany you to the appointment for emotional support or to drive you home afterward.

What you can expect Risks
References
  1. Ghidini, A. Diagnostic amniocentesis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  2. Eddleman K, et al. Pregnancy loss rates after midtrimester amniocentesis. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2006;108:1067.
  3. Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ165. Screening for birth defects. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq165.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120803T1101436205. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  4. Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6021591. Accessed Aug. 8, 2012.
  5. Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012:1.
  6. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Practice Bulletins - Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 88: Invasive Prenatal Testing for Aneuploidy. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2007;110:1459.
  7. Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ171. Cystic fibrosis: Prenatal screening and diagnosis. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq171.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120801T1656571546. Accessed Aug. 1, 2012.
  8. Gillen-Goldstein J, et al. Assessment of fetal lung maturity. www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
  9. Moore KL, et al. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013:1.
  10. Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008. http://www.danforthsobgyn.com. Accessed Aug. 8, 2012.
  11. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 2010:343.
  12. Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ027. The Rh factor: How it can affect your pregnancy. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq027.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120809T1038350240. Accessed Aug. 9, 2012.
  13. Beckman CRB, et al. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 6th ed. Baltimore, Md.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010:57.
  14. Fischbach FT, et al. A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:1041.
  15. Pagana KD, et al. Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:664.
MY00155 Oct. 10, 2012

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