What is amniocentesis primarily used to detect between 14-17 weeks of gestation?

What is amniocentesis primarily used to detect between 14-17 weeks of gestation?

• A. Sex of the fetus
• B. Open neural tube defects
• C. Lung maturity
• D. Maternal health conditions

Answer: (B)

Amniocentesis is a medical procedure primarily performed to collect amniotic fluid for testing, particularly between 14-17 weeks of gestation. One of the key uses of this procedure during this time frame is to detect open neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly. The detection of these defects is crucial because they are serious congenital conditions that can have significant implications for the fetus's health and development. The amniotic fluid contains fetal cells and other substances, allowing for genetic testing and the assessment of various fetal conditions. In contrast, while amniocentesis can determine the sex of the fetus, this is not one of its primary purposes or advantages. Additionally, assessing lung maturity typically occurs later in pregnancy, often closer to delivery, since lung development is not fully assessed until the third trimester. Maternal health conditions can affect pregnancy outcomes but are generally not the focus of amniocentesis, which is targeted more toward fetal assessments. Therefore, the primary reason for conducting amniocentesis between 14-17 weeks is indeed to detect open neural tube defects.

Amniocentesis is a medical procedure primarily performed to collect amniotic fluid for testing, particularly between 14-17 weeks of gestation. One of the key uses of this procedure during this time frame is to detect open neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly.

The detection of these defects is crucial because they are serious congenital conditions that can have significant implications for the fetus's health and development. The amniotic fluid contains fetal cells and other substances, allowing for genetic testing and the assessment of various fetal conditions.

In contrast, while amniocentesis can determine the sex of the fetus, this is not one of its primary purposes or advantages. Additionally, assessing lung maturity typically occurs later in pregnancy, often closer to delivery, since lung development is not fully assessed until the third trimester. Maternal health conditions can affect pregnancy outcomes but are generally not the focus of amniocentesis, which is targeted more toward fetal assessments. Therefore, the primary reason for conducting amniocentesis between 14-17 weeks is indeed to detect open neural tube defects.