title: Prenatal diagnosis using amniocentesis: the Christchurch experience.
abstract: A service for biochemical analysis of amniotic fluid has been available since 1975. A total of 186 early pregnancy samples were received, the majority were from patients at risk for chromosome abnormalities or neural tube defects. The indications for analysis and the problems related to the results are presented and the need for an established genetic counselling system with a supra-regional assay service is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000175:diagnosis; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis; D009520:New Zealand; D011247:Pregnancy; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins