| Pronunciation: | | `amneeowsen'teesis
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 WordNet Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | [n] extraction by centesis of amniotic fluid from a pregnant woman (after the 15th week of pregnancy) to aid in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities |
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| | See Also: | | centesis, prenatal diagnosis |
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| Medical Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | A procedure in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is removed and analyzed to detect various genetic characteristics or lung maturity of the unborn baby. |
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| Biology Dictionary |
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| | Definition: | | A technique for testing the genetic health of a fetus by inserting a needle through the mother's abdominal wall into the uterus and extracting a small amount of the amniotic fluid, the fluid that surrounds the fetus. Sloughed-off fetal cells (fibroblasts) found in this fluid are then cultured and their DNA examined for defects. This procedure is done in the second trimester, and because of the time needed to do the culture, results aren't generally available until after the 20th week of pregnancy. |
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| Glossary |
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| | Definition: | | a medical technique in which amniotic fluid is removed for study of the fetus. |
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