The vast majority of infants are healthy at birth. However, approximately 3-5% will have some type of birth defect or disability, such as spina bifida, autism, or intellectual disabilities. The risk for having a baby with congenital abnormalities, such as Down syndrome, increases as the mother becomes older.
A diagnostic test, due to its invasive nature, may create some risk for pregnancy complications, such as bleeding, infection, or even miscarriage, though usually these risks are quite low.
We encourage you to discuss testing options with your pregnancy healthcare provider in order to decide which testing choices are right for you.