Introduction 

• Amniocentesis once proved to be one of the wonders of science to be used for good purposes. It was invented to discover genetic disorders in an unborn child inside a mother’s womb.
• But since amniocentesis can be used to detect the gender of the unborn child, the majority of people started misusing it.
• Some sections of society think of a girl child as a burden and want to kill them before birth.
• Even today, gender oppression can be seen in many parts of society. The situation is under control to some extent because of changing views of people. However, the situation was much worse initially, and the government had to ban amniocentesis to prevent the killing of a girl child in the womb.

Purpose

The basic purpose of amniocentesis was to check for any genetic disorder in the foetus to avoid any chances of miscarriage. Amniocentesis is performed by checking the amniotic fluid surrounding the foetus. The amniotic fluid carries information about the genetic material of the child.

Process of Amniocentesis

• We know that a foetus is surrounded by a fluid, namely amniotic fluid, at the time of pregnancy, which is something like water in  consistency.
• Due to the presence of information on chromosomes and alpha-fetoprotein, it can carry necessary information about the child.
• This information can help in knowing any emergency medical condition, any type of disorder related to the foetus and can, therefore, act as a lifesaver.
• Before amniocentesis, an ultrasound is done.
  • After that, the abdomen is cleaned.
  • An injection of anaesthesia is given. 
  • A hollow needle is inserted inside the womb to collect amniotic fluid.
  • Lab examination of the fluid collected is conducted.
• The test results are then analysed to check for certain birth defects, if any.

What type of defects can be detected?

Generally, amniocentesis cannot detect all types of defects, but these are certain defects that it can detect:

• Trisomy 21 or Down syndrome, which results in developmental delays of organs in children.
• Genetic transfer of certain defects, such as sickle cell diseases, etc.
• Genetic disorders of lungs, kidneys, and pancreas, such as cystic fibrosis, etc.
• Defects related to progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles with time.

Accuracy and risks associated with Amniocentesis 

Accuracy:- It is 99.4% effective if there are no obstructions in the collection of amniotic fluid in adequate amounts or a failure in fluid development.

Risks:- Depending on the stage of pregnancy and how the procedure is conducted, there might be certain risks associated with amniocentesis. 

• There is a risk of miscarriage if the procedure is conducted during the second trimester.
• It can lead to the leaking of amniotic fluid through the vagina, which is very rare, and generally stops within a week.
• The baby might get in the way of the needle if it moves its legs or arms; however, serious injuries are very rare.

Care to be taken after Amniocentesis

• To be safe, one must not perform the following activities for a day or two:-
  • Lift heavyweights
  • Engage in heavy workouts
  • Sexual intercourse

Why is amniocentesis banned?

• The answer to this question is quite simple. We know that amniocentesis was developed to conduct genetic testing and for the diagnosis of any foetal defects or infections during the pregnancy. Instead, people tried to misuse the technology by bribing doctors to know the gender of the developing child in the mother’s womb.
• This practice led to the mass killing of girl foetuses, also known as female foeticides, in various states and sections of the country.
• It was banned in India around 1994 under the Pre-Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act, which is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to stop female foeticides and arrest the declining sex ratio in India.

Statutory ban on Amniocentesis:-

Since amniocentesis can be used to detect the gender of the developing foetus in a mother’s womb, people started getting the test done to kill the developing female foetus. This resulted in the decline in gender ratio in some parts of the country. Therefore, it has been banned by the government.

Conclusion 

Amniocentesis is a test that was initially developed to determine abnormal genetic development or birth defects in foetuses. However, people started misusing it to determine the gender that led to female foeticide on a mass scale. Therefore, the government imposed a statutory ban on amniocentesis.