My Experience with Amniocentesis

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

I had an amniocentesis with my second baby. The test was offered to us after we got a positive result on the alpha fetoprotein blood test. The results came back showing an increased risk of Down's Syndrome.

The funny thing is that I didn't want the blood test in the first place. When I was pregnant with my first daughter, my doctor had actually advised against the test. He told me the test had a high rate of false positives. After six years of infertility and six weeks of bed rest in early pregnancy, he felt that I didn't need the added stress.

A year after my first was born; I discovered I was pregnant with my second baby. By this time, my beloved doctor had semi retired. He was no longer delivering babies. I was seen by other doctors in the practice. One really pressured me to take the test. At first I refused, but eventually relented after a lot of pressure. The test resulted in the exact stress my first doctor had described.

Once I was told my baby may have Down's Syndrome, I was under a lot of stress. I had a baby at home who was just taking her first steps. The thought of a special needs child was a lot to bear. After a lot of thought, we decided to take the amnio. We had no intention of not continuing the pregnancy, but I had to know for sure. I'm the kind of person who needs to be prepared.

On the day of the test, I remember being very scared. I had the best doctor in my area performing the test. He was wonderful and very gentle. I was petrified as the needle was inserted into my stomach and the fluid was removed. He noticed my fear and showed me the baby on the ultrasound after the test was done. I could see that she was fine and he could see that no fluid was leaking.

The doctor sent me home with instructions to rest a lot that day and the next. I cried on the way home because I was afraid I'd lose the baby. I cried at home on and off throughout the afternoon. By the next morning, I was feeling fine. I could feel my daughter moving inside me and I had no side effects.

The wait for the test results was almost unbearable. I passed the time by thoroughly researching Down's Syndrome. My husband thought I was out of my mind. He kept saying, "You know, the baby's probably fine." Yes, I knew that, but like I said, I'm the kind of person who needs to be prepared. By the time I got my results, I had found an early intervention program, a pediatrician who specialized in Down's Syndrome, a special needs preschool and a support group for parents.

It turned out that I didn't need all the resources I had found. The results of the amnio showed that my baby girl was totally healthy and definitely a girl. I was able to relax and enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. I also learned a very valuable lesson. With my next two pregnancies, I refused the blood test that caused all my stress in the first place.

Related Articles:

Prenatal Testing: Amniocentesis

Communicating with Your Doctor

Testing in Pregnancy

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

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