Amniocentesis

[melissa75]

Hi all...my first time posting on this topic. I have just found out I am pregnant, and as I have had complications in the past (have lost a set of twins during/post birth) and also have a family link to birth complications etc...so needless to say, I am now having my first amnio (chose not to have one with my now three year old). Anyway, anyone have one before? Anyone able to walk me through the procedure, what to expect etc..? Anyone done it by choice as opposed to pure neccessity?
Any advice/experiences would be appreciated...good or bad!

congratulations on being pregnant !

i had an amnio as had a high risk of downs.

basically, i had an appt at the hospital, the consultant was doing the procedure. Room was dark with two screens, one for me to look at one for the consultant (you can choose not to look). you lay down, pull up your top (i didnt have to undress), and basically he talked me through what would happen. he gets a really long needle and pushes it into your abdomen. it is uncomfortable, id describe it like a long slow pinch, but not painful.

its important to relax, then basically he takes a small amount of the fluid and then removes the needle. i hardly bled anything at all. then we waited i think it was an hour for the results, which the consultant talked through really considerately with us.

my consultant took a photo of the baby too so we had an extra photo.

hope that helps. happy to answer any specific questions.

also, i think i was incredibly lucky to have the results back that quick, i think the waiting time can vary enormously into weeks.

mankymummy...thanks for response. I have been told the results will take two weeks, however I hold a trump card which I intend to use! My Godfather is a professor of Genetics and has told me that if the fluid they extract is clear, then everything is fine, if it is blue then there is complications. So I plan to ask to see the fluid before I leave, not letting them know that I know what I am looking for! That way I would not be sitting there for those two weeks not knowing, which would just about do me in! Lovely to have an extra photo though! I have a scan in three weeks, and then having the amnio in four.

really? thats interesting.

well good luck, i hope it all goes ok for you and your little one.