title: Amniocentesis for antenatal diagnosis of genetic defects.
abstract: Amniocentesis for intrauterine diagnosis of genetic disease is a safe and highly accurate procedure. This is most fortunate since the timing of the procedure (14 to 16 weeks) and the length of time necessary to cultivate the cells and perform the analysis (3 to 5 weeks) makes it almost mandatory, and almost unique in medicine, that patient management be based on a single non-repeated laboratory procedure. It should be recommended to all patients for whom there is a specific indication for antenatal genetic studies.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000175:diagnosis; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000175:diagnosis; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk; D014463:Ultrasonography