Genesis Fertility Clinic Blog
searching: “amniocentesis”
June 12, 2009
Changes to the Age for an Amnio
Recently, there have been significant changes in the choices patients have for prenatal screening here in BC. When women are pregnant, we are always worried about identifying abnormalities in the fetus early so that we can provide women with choices and information about the pregnancy. One of the largest concerns that women have is the concern about the risk of having a baby affected with Down Syndrome.
Over the years, there have been many changes to the guidelines as to what is available in terms of testing for chromosome abnormalities (usually Down Syndrome) in their fetus. For example, it used to be that women over the age of 35 at the time of delivery had access to an amniocentesis if they wanted this. An amnio, unlike blood tests and ultrasounds, will give a woman a definitive answer about whether her baby has Down Syndrome. This sounds really appealing – why not get a definitive answer when you can?? The problem is that amniocentesis has some risk associated with it, albeit small, that includes the risk of losing the whole pregnancy.
Because of this risk of amnio, doctors and researchers have tried to find blood markers and ultrasound markers that may indicate that a baby is at increased risk of being affected with Down Syndrome. It is not as “good” as an amnio but remember that blood tests and ultrasounds have no risks. Over the years, we have been able to refine the blood tests and ultrasound indicators to a point where we are getting really very good at finding babies at risk of having Down Syndrome and sending ONLY those patients for an amnio.
So, as it stands now with the new changes, it is only women who are 40 years of age or over who can get an amnio on demand here in BC. Women under 40 have access to blood tests publically and nuchal translucency scanning privately (including here at Genesis) as their first round of tests. If the first round of tests comes back worrisome, it is only THEN that women under 40 can get an amnio done.
I think that these changes are good because it means that, as a province, we will be doing fewer unnecessary amnios which is safer. It does mean that some a woman may be unhappy because she won’t be able to get an amnio now when she may have qualified in the past. I think that once women understand that there are tests that can be done BEFORE to help see if an amnio is needed, that might ease some of the tension.
Dr.Hitkari, MD, FRCSC
Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility