to ask you about your experiences with amniocentesis?

[PereyButton]

21 weeks pregnant and booked in for an amnio this week. I've only just booked it but am terrified of the miscarriage risk. Currently on a thread re why I was considering amnio but it's pretty much decided now.

Can anyone tell me a little about their experience? I have no idea what to expect and haven't had a chance to sit down properly with a midwife about it so I'm going on a little bit blind...

Thanks all in advance. P.

I had an amnio in 1980 when they didn't scan, just felt around the abdomen and put a red cross where the needle was to go, all was fine. Second amnio in 1984 still no scan and my consultant only drew blood, went back the following week for another go, success this time. Each time I was off work for some time as I had a very heavy factory job.

@canuck43 I plan on taking Friday off and the weekend, then back to work on Monday. I work in an office but have a fairly long commute in the mornings. Hopefully someone will be kind enough to let me sit, though it probably wouldn't matter if not. I'm just a bit of an erratic mess at the moment!

Thanks for your response. My nerves are calming slightly.

We had one with our dc. It was fine, and we were glad to be reassured, but I wouldn't have one again. I was terrified of the miscarriage risk and in future I'd do nipt. But it depends - we had ivf and I was a nervous wreck anyway!

Good luck today perry, thinking of you

Thank you @YetAnotherNewName1000 x

I had it 15 hrs ago for maternal age reasons.We had council IMG before,not just about the procedure but the clarify what you would do if the results show abnormalities.
The procedure is straight forward and you see more detail that on ordinary hospital scans.I had been expecting twins but had been bleeding and there was only one heart beat so it was reassuring to see that the other was done and sucking her thumb and to know that it was not an abnormal situation and that the non growing foetus would just be absorbed into the other placenta as it grew.
I think we waited a few weeks and they phones at home at 8pm.All was fine and a girl.
Good luck.

Good luck op. I had one with my last pregnancy because of various tests and I would have aborted a disabled child. My choice.

It was fine dd is a healthy happy 19 year old. No regrets.

I had one. It was completely fine. It didn’t hurt at all though I was uncomfortable because they said I needed a full bladder and I took that really seriously and drank far too much.
I would say don’t plan to do anything for the rest of the day. I went for a walk later in the day and experienced sharp shooting pains and had to sit down.
Just sit for the rest of the day.
Both me and baby were fine.
The needle is really huge - just don’t look. It’s not sore.

Thank you everyone. The amnio went well (I think). I've been scared to move and stayed away from this thread for a day or so in fear that someone would post a horror story. I've posted a couple of more normal threads under a NC and it's been nice to get advice on normal things for once! Not scary amnio business. I'll be sure to keep you updated. Thanks everyone who has offered me kind words of advice. It has been invaluable 

Glad it went well. Fingers crossed for the results you want.

Thanks @YetAnotherNewName1000

Wishing you lots of luck.