What to Know About Amniocentesis

An amniocentesis—often called amnio—is a type of prenatal test used primarily to diagnose genetic abnormalities and birth defects, as well as neural tube defects. "Practically-speaking, [an amniocentesis] involves placing a thin needle in the sac around [your baby], usually while watching on ultrasound for precision and safety, and then removing a small amount of amniotic fluid," explained Amber Samuel, M.D., MBA, FACOG., a board-certified maternal fetal specialist and medical director at Obstetrix® Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Houston, part of Pediatrix® Medical Group. Most commonly, amniocentesis is performed because a genetic or fetal abnormality is suspected, said Dr. Samuel. "This is most likely due to abnormal non-invasive blood test results in a patient, or an abnormality seen on prenatal ultrasound."

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