questions

Amniotic Banding Questions and Answers

by Joanne Green

Q. How are amniotic bands caused?
A. Amniotic banding occurs when there is a rupture in the amniotic sac early in gestation and the sac falls away. The fetus can then become entangled in the placenta, which can lead to the formation of the bands.

Q. Can a fetus even survive without an amniotic sac?
A. It is possible, however, not probable. This situation most often ends in an early miscarriage. When it does not end in miscarriage, the child may have any or all of a number of different birth defects.

Q. Is it genetic?
A. No. The occurrence of amniotic banding seems to be sporadic. A person who was born with amniotic banding is no more likely than anyone else to produce a child with amniotic banding.

Q. Will a child born with amniotic banding be mentally retarded?
A. The only way amniotic banding can create developmental disabilities is if the banding interferes with the development of the brain. Typically, you will not see any form of retardation associated with amniotic banding.

Q. How is amniotic banding diagnosed?
A. The presence of the bands will lead to the diagnosis of amniotic banding. Many times the actual tissues that caused the banding are attached to the child and are removed after birth.

Q. Can amniotic banding be detected through ultrasound?
A. Yes, but it is not always detected through ultrasound. A high level ultrasound is more likely to find the conditions that lead to amniotic banding than a regular ultrasound would.

Q. Are more boys than girls affected?
A. No - amniotic banding seems to be equally distributed between boys and girls.

Q. What can be done about the bands?
A. Treatment will depend a lot on where the bands are located, how deep they are, and how much of the limb is affected. Most bands are surgically released using a Z-plasty type of repair.

Q. Did I cause this to happen to my baby?
A. Probably not. Most likely it just happened. It is assumed that the rupture that leads to amniotic banding occurs within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Not much is known at this time as to how the rupture occurs.

Q. What can I do to prevent it from happening again?
A. Nothing. However, there is a very slim - (one in 10,000)- probability that it will happen again to you.

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