www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Amniocentesis

Does anyone know the Catholic position on amniocentesis? I am pregnant and since I am over 35 the doctors are pushing it on me. I would never abort my baby, so I don't see the point in doing the amniocentesis to find out if there is Down Syndrome or some other uncorrectable disease. The doctor tells me amniocentesis is also used to spot other diseases that are correctable, and that for some of the diseases it's a matter of "forewarned is forearmed" in terms of having the right neonatal equipment on hand for the birth if the baby has a problem.

But the chance of miscarriage resulting from amniocentesis is variously reported as 1:100 to 1:400. I don't like those odds. Does anyone know whether the Catholic Church encourages, discourages, allows, or does not allow amniocentesis?

This is a topic worthy of discussion. I found a good article at:

http://www.santa-teresita.org/fcc/docs/Amniocentesis.pdf

I offer it as it is. It appears to be faithful to Catholic moral teaching but I recommend reviewing it with your spiritual director or pastor.

Tammy,

My second child was born when I was 36. My third when I was 41. My conversation with my doc went something like this: "Is there any point to these tests if there's no way we'd terminate?" "Nope."
And that was it.

35 is not some "magic age" when all of a sudden everything falls apart, any more than breast milk becomes useless at six months or a year. I never much cared whether the Church sanctioned amnio - it just wasn't necessary or particularly useful - and the risk was unacceptable to ME.

I cannot recommend highly enough "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth" by Henci Goer. Ms. Goer examines common obstetrical practices and identifies risks & benefits, and which are actually supported by evidence. It's an eye opener. There's also a section on choosing a caregiver. If your docs are pushing you to amnio just because you are 35, it's likely they will treat you as "high risk" with no particular justification. (Personally, I wouldn't go to an OB when pg - my Family Practice doc doesn't think pregnancy is a disease, even in old, fat broads. Neither do most midwives.) Seriously, I'd strongly recommend evaluating whether you might want to change care providers. If they aren't listening to you now, they aren't likely to listen to what you want when you are in labor either.

Just my opinionated $.02. My first child's birth was "medically managed," and it was the most horrible experience of my life. I learned a lot, chose my practitioner with care next time, had a birth plan that closely resembled a manifesto that my doc signed off on (mostly it just said "You will NOT...") and have since had two WONDERFUL drug free, procedure free, cut free births.

Best wishes for a happy & healthy pregnancy, with the care and birth YOU want.

Sharon

Tammy:

Glory to Jesus Christ!

My wife (who just turned 29 and is currently carrying our second child) and I have luckily never had to deal with a doctor "encouraging" an amnio.

A 37-year old friend of ours, however, was very recently so encouraged. On the doctor's strong "recommendation," and in the absence of any support one way or the other from her husband -- he of the mind that the baby is "her body" -- she decided to have it done. The results are still pending. Our friend, however, has been suffering terrible regret and a lot of emotional stress since the amnio.

Based upon what I have read and learned in conversation with others, the possible harm caused by the procedure clearly outweighs the potential benefits. There is a 1 in 1000 risk of intra-amniotic infection, a 1 in 100 risk of fluid leak (which often repairs itself), and -- as you have already noted -- a 1 in 100-400 risk of miscarriage. I don't like those odds, either.

You and your baby are in my family's prayers.

In Christ,
Theophilos

Tammy,

My wife was recently pregnant so I think I remember some of the stuff we read. The main things that an amnio tests for: Down's Syndrome and Spina Bifida, can both be tested for through the Alpha Fetal Blood Protein test, which the docs will administer to you regardless of whether or not you have an amnio. Therefore, unless there is something else they would be testing for, it would seem redundant. Hope this helps! And may God bless your child and grant him/her long life and many happy, saintly years! St. Gerard pray for us!

Justin

I've never had the AFP test. I moved to a new state during the first pregnancy right about the time I was supposed to have the test, so I missed the window. Second pregnancy, my doctor (Italian and presumably Catholic) said if I would never abort there was no point in taking it, so I didn't. Third pregnancy they tried to tell me if I didn't take it I would HAVE to take amniocentesis. I scheduled the appointment and didn't go... and so managed to "miss" the window again!

Justin, the AFP test is no more mandatory than other tests, and has its share of problems too, especially in women who are overweight, or who do not have 28 day cycles. I didn't have that one either - it is notorious for false positives, and leads to unnecessary stress, worry and amnios if anything supposedly shows up - for what benefit?

Reiterating - check out "the Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth."


Sharon

I tried that - I told her, "I'm Catholic and pro-life. If there's nothing that can be done for the child if the test is positive, and all you'll do is tell me to abort, there's no point in me taking the test." She got defensive and said "We'd never TELL you to abort. Some of the diseases this tests for - like neural tube defects - ARE correctable if we know early enough, and in some cases it's a matter of having the equipment on hand at the birth because we already know the child has a problem."

I still don't like the odds of miscarriage - the best odds I've seen are 1:400. The odds of spina bifida - a neural tube defect - are 20 in 100,000 live births. Even if that's a correctable disease, I have a far greater chance of losing my baby due to the test than I do of having a baby that NEEDED to be tested!

I read that the reason they pick 35 as the age for amnio is that at 35 the odds of miscarriage from the test are even with the odds of Down Syndrome. Well, if I would never abort a child with Down Syndrome, that throws that equation out the window, doesn't it?

I was hoping to find some kind of church teaching that specifically discourages amnio so I can present that to the doctor as part of my argument against taking the test. Doctors have a way of dismissing a patient's opinion, so I thought church teaching would carry more weight.

I can't change providers. I have Kaiser and they have a limited number of OB/GYN's. I guess my pregnancy really is "medically managed" because my personal physician is also Kaiser and of course would have to follow their rules and send me to the OB/GYN department.

Administrator,
Thanks! Just what I was looking for to give me some back-up to my arguments. Will keep this article in my purse so if they keep pushing me I can pull it out and tell them to put it in my chart!
Tammy

I didn't know. Our doctor didn't even ask, she just sent us to the lab and it was one of the vials of blood that was drawn. Had I known it wasn't normally done, we wouldn't have had it--if I remember we had to pay a deductible on it!!

Justin,

If you and your wife are thinking about having more children, I would strongly encourage you to find a less high-handed practitioner.

As a conscious and mentally competent patient, you have the absolute right to informed consent for any procedure, treatment or test.

Sharon

In California you have to sign a form either consenting to or refusing the test. My experience has been they try to browbeat you into consenting.

I may be thinking of a different test. The one I'm thinking of was a simple blood test. Then again, you may be right. We don't intend to use the same OB. They were very nice at first, but now that the baby is born, they are not going to let the whole contraception thing rest. Every time my wife has been there, starting with the visit the doc made to our room in hospital the day after birth, they've been trying to push the pill down my wife's throat, treating us like we're some stupid throwbacks to another age. We're quite tired of it. It strikes me that these people would probably be the same kind who would pull a fast one on us. If I remember, we didn't even know what tests they were running until we got the bill or the next visit. I think the AFP test was done at the same time as a blood sugar test, so we weren't paying that close of attention.

Then again, with how much sleep our daughter let's me get, my memory is pretty much shot!!

Justin

Oh Justin - I remember that feeling oh so well - it does get better - honest.

But going back to the push for contraception - it's not easy to deal with . I managed to get round it after the birth of Tina [ daughter number 2]- yes still in Hospital and the daily visit started with the usual question "Have you thought about contraception now ?' My answer was "Yes - and no thank you"

They persisted and by day 3 I was getting cross - after all I was supposed to be having a longer stay for a rest [ reason for that will come ] However - being me I was still polite - " yes and no thanks "

Day 4 I'd had enough " Don't you folk read my notes - I've had a Pulmonary Embolism - can't have OCs ?" Silence ensued ! VICTORY.

Anhelyna

They always push contraception on me, too. After my first child, the doctor tried to push the pill, and my husband was with me. He told the doctor the Pill is an early abortifacient. The doctor tried to say it wasn't. My husband told him it can cause the zygote not to implant, so it is. The doctor said, "well, I guess if you consider a zygote a baby." My husband said, "we do." The doctor backed off, but I have continued to have that problem with other doctors.

It finally got to the point where I would tell them I use the condom, just to get them off my back. Since you don't need a prescription for THAT, they usually back off. But I kind of feel like I'm denying my faith by lying to them and telling them I'm using contraception when I'm not! This time I plan to use the NFP argument and statistics - when used correctly it is more reliable than any artificial method on the market. We'll see how they respond to that one.

Oh boy Tammy - I wish you luck !!

Are you going to open a book on the response to the comment "oh I will be using NFP ?"

Let me guess - 'What's that - oh Vatican Roulette "

Here in the UK our NFP clinics often had referrals from Assisted Conception Units to see if we could indentify if the woman was ovulating - if she was they preferred to leave it to us for a while before they interfered.

Mother Nature is wise .

Yup - go for it and give them the statistics - just remind them that it's your body and you are in charge of it