Question

Amniocentesis is used for determining
(a) Sex of the child
(b) Brain disease
(c) Hereditary disease of embryo
(d) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: The sex of the fetus is determined by amniocentesis and if it is female, the fetus is aborted. This method is banned in India as people use this to perform the female foeticide and infanticide if it is having any disease.

Complete answer
Amniocentesis is a medical procedure carried out on expecting mothers to find any chromosomal abnormalities or the sex of the unborn child in a pregnant mother.
- In this process, a small amount of fluid from the amniotic sac that contains the DNA portion of the fetus is exerted and then diagnosed to see if there is any disorder or genetic abnormalities in the developing embryo. It is a prenatal diagnosis that also reveals the gender of the fetus.
- This method starts with the exertion of amniotic fluid through microinjection which first enters the uterus then abdominal muscles and then finally to the amniotic cavity. The position of the fluid can be observed through an ultrasound.
- It is advised to perform this process between 15 to20 weeks of pregnancy as if it will be done late then chances of it causing injury to the fetus will increase.
- Amniocentesis is helpful in determining certain genetic disorders that include the trisomy 13, Trisomy 18, Down syndrome, sex chromosome disorders, and inherited metabolic disorders.
- The process of amniocentesis is banned In India as the male child is given more preference than the girl child leading to female foeticide. To overcome this heinous crime this process is banned in all medical institutions of India.

So, the correct answer is option (d), ‘All of the above’.

Note:
The other methods for discerning the sex of the unborn child are - cell-free fetal DNA testing, chorionic villus sampling, and obstetric ultrasonography.
- Polyhydramnios is a medical condition where there is an accumulation of amniotic fluids in the sac.