Why do women get amniocentesis?

Knowing that it is very dangerous to the fetus, it has a good chance of killing it.
What are the benefits of "knowing" besides having the option to get a late term abortion?

One of my friends miscarried a few days after a amnio her doctor wanted her to have it because she was over 30 and DS ran in her and her husbands family. I guess just being prepared if your child does have a birth defect. But I know a lot of women who are older (one 39 ) and refused she just said whatever God has planned for her child she was gonna love no matter what. I hope I would do that to ( but I don't plan on having no more babies) I guess you don't know until you are in that situation.

When done by a competent physician, amnio is pretty safe. It is usually conducted between the 15th and 18th weeks of pregnancy to detect some chromosomal and genetic disorders. It may be used later in pregnancy to determine if the baby's lungs are mature.

See http://www.marchofdimes.com/professional... for a good discussion.

whoever told you that amnio has a good chance of killing a fetus is a total moron. While amnio is not for everyone, but if you have a history of downsyndrome in your family or other genetic disorder, sometimes its very important to know this.

Seriously talk to an obstretrician! it is not "very dangerous" and there is not a "good" chance of killing the fetus. there are some risks, just like with pretty much everything in this world. for many people who are at high risk of producing a baby with a genetic problem it can be great peace of mind to find out that the baby is healthy. But I suppose you dont really understand the benefits of knowing until you are actully pregnant with a high risk baby and instead of being able to get excited about being pregnant you worry day and night whether your baby will be able to lead a normal life and if not how you going to be able to provide for a special needs child. Trust me, when the doctor calls with the results, no matter what they are, it is worth the risks of the procedure because atleast you know and can start preparing for whatever necessary.

I had successful amniocentesis done for both my pregnancies. I trusted my obstetrician who followed the path of the needle on the monitor, and there were absolutely no after effects. It was a painless sampling of the fluid nothing else.
It's a personal choice I would have aborted if my son or daughter had been diagnosed with any debilitating disorder, even if it would have been a very painful decision. Today we have the technical means of knowing about the future health of a child and I feel reassured knowing my children won't suffer from some illnesses as my doctor also asked for a check on gastrointestinal diseases.