What Are The Risks And Complications?

Millions of women have safely undergone amniocentesis. However, the procedure does carry some risks:

Miscarriage: The rate of miscarriage is estimated to be between one in 200 and one in 500.
Infection: The procedure carries a low risk of uterine infection (less than one in 1,000), which can cause labor. If such an infection occurs, it will happen within a few days of the procedure.
Maternal or fetal hemorrhaging.
Fetal injury: There is a very slight risk that the needle used during amniocentesis can hit a crucial fetal area and cause permanent damage.

Nice To Know:

Amniocentesis increases the risk of miscarriage by less than 1 percent over the baseline risk for miscarriage.

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What Is Amniocentesis? What Can It Tell? How Is It Done? Risks And Complications? Preparing For It	Alternatives Common Questions Putting It All Together Glossary Sources Of Information






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	Last updated October 2004
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