A client who is 15 weeks pregnant comes to the clinic for amniocentesis. The test can reveal the sex of the fetus.

• A. Chromosomal defects
• B. Sex of the fetus
• C. Placental abruption
• D. Fetal growth assessment

Answer: (B)

Amniocentesis provides fetal cells from the amniotic fluid that are analyzed to determine the fetal karyotype. By looking at the sex chromosomes, you can tell whether the fetus is XX or XY, which gives the sex of the fetus. So the test directly reveals sex through chromosomal analysis. Placental abruption is diagnosed by ultrasound and clinical signs, not by amniotic fluid testing. Fetal growth assessment is also done primarily by ultrasound measurements rather than sampling amniotic fluid. While amniocentesis can detect chromosomal abnormalities, the specific outcome highlighted here—identifying the fetus’s sex—comes from analyzing the sex chromosomes.