Early Amniocentesis

In order to do an amniocentesis the doctor inserts a thin, hollow needle in through the abdomen to the amniotic bag, and extracts a sample of the amniotic liquid. The cells extracted from the liquid are cultivated and from there information is obtained about genetic diseases and chromosome abnormalities. A traditional amniocentesis is done in week fourteen or sixteen, but it can be done as early as week eleven and fourteen. The advantage of doing this test before is that the results are known at an early stage; this disadvantage is that the chance of abortion is greater. For this reason it is probably better to wait on doing this test early.