Lexic.us

Definition of Amniocentesis

1. Noun. (pregnancy) extraction by centesis of amniotic fluid from a pregnant woman (after the 15th week of pregnancy) to aid in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities.

Definition of Amniocentesis

1. Noun. (medicine) A procedure for obtaining amniotic fluid from a pregnant animal, by inserting a hollow needle through the abdominal wall and into the amniotic sac. Used in diagnosing possible genetic defects and/or obstetric complications. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Amniocentesis

1. [n -SES]

Medical Definition of Amniocentesis

1. Sampling of the fluid in the amniotic sac. In humans this is carried out, between the 12th and 16th week of pregnancy, by inserting a needle through the abdominal wall into the uterus. By karyotyping the cells and determining the proteins present, it is possible to determine the sex of the foetus and whether it is suffering from certain congenital diseases such as Down's syndrome or spina bifida. (05 Feb 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Amniocentesis

Literary usage of Amniocentesis

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Guide To Clinical Preventive Services by U. S. Preventive Services Task Force (1989)
"Recommendation: amniocentesis for karyotyping should be offered to pregnant women aged 35 and older. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein should be measured on ..."

2. Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Report of the U. S. Preventive by DIANE Publishing Company (1996)
"Chromosome analysis of fetal cells obtained by second-trimester amniocentesis has been demonstrated to be accurate and reliable for prenatal diagnosis of ..."

3. Understanding Gestational Diabetes by DIANE Publishing Company (1994)
"amniocentesis can be performed in an obstetrician's office or on an ... For genetic testing, amniocentesis is usually performed around the 16th week when ..."

4. Healthy People: The Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion & Disease by DIANE Publishing Company (1995)
"Carrier identification, amniocentesis, and neonatal screening procedures (Chapter 8) can aid in detecting some genetic disorders before, during, ..."

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