Some women choose not to have any blood tests but simply to opt straight away for an amniocentesis. A fear of the extra responsibilities which come with having a Down's syndrome baby drives some women to choose amniocentesis even though they know the test could cause a miscarriage. A health professional's view of a woman's risk of having a Down's baby may be very different from her own.
There may be pressure put on the woman to state that she will definitely have a termination of pregnancy if the amniocentesis result is positive. While some women have no doubt that they would choose to end the pregnancy if their baby were diagnosed as having Down's syndrome, others simply want to know for certain so that they can have time to prepare themselves for the birth of a baby with a disability.
Some women resist the pressure to discuss a termination in advance of the amniocentesis by appearing to go along with the wishes of the hospital while reserving judgment. There should be no pressure on the woman one way or the other to make a decision in advance of knowing the results.
Having the amniocentesis performed can be a very different experience for different women. The difference may in part depend on how worried the woman is about the outcome. The procedure for taking two samples of fluid in a twin pregnancy can be more complicated and time-consuming. Although the likelihood of miscarriage is small after an amniocentesis, the risk is there. There are occasions when antenatal testing leads to a series of events which change the woman's life for ever.
Shirley M. Duran
Shirley M. Duran is a mother of two and an author of a variety of related lifestyle issues and topics with which has helped hundreds of mothers become pregnant. If you have any pregnancy questions for which you need answers, it is recommended to visit: http://mypregnancyquestions.info/.
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