Amniocentesis
Disease Information
Overview
Fetal cells are the best cells you can have. They grow very well, and they're very plastic?you can coach them to do what you want.
Dario Fauza, MD, researcher
Amniocentesis is a procedure in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is drawn to test for certain chromosomal disorders and neural tube defects.
- Indicated for pregnant women who will be older than 35 years at the time of birth or those who have had an abnormal blood screen
- Given between 15th and 20th week of pregnancy
- The most accurate way of determining a baby’s gender before birth
Amniocentesis at Children’s Hospital Boston
Researchers are drawing fetal stem cells from amniotic fluid during pregnancy to develop new was to repair congenital defects in babies.
Programs that perform amniocentesis at Children’s include the Advanced Fetal Care Center, Fetal Cardiology Program and Genetics Program.
