Health Information
Amniocentesis
What Affects the Test
Reasons you may not be able to have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:
- If there is blood from your fetus in the amniotic fluid. This can falsely increase the level of the substances alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels, which test for Reference neural tube defects Opens New Window.
- If the amniotic fluid is exposed to light. This can falsely lower bilirubin levels.
- If there is blood or meconium in the fluid. This may cause an incorrect result for the test that checks to see whether your baby's (fetus's) lungs are mature.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference April 4, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics |
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