A pregnant woman with a family history of a severe genetic disorder is advised to undergo a diagnostic test. The doctor extracts a small amount of the fluid surrounding the developing embryo to check for the disorder. Identify the procedure, the specific biological component analysed to detect the disorder, and the primary reason this procedure is legally restricted in India.

Step-by-step solution

The procedure described is amniocentesis, in which some of the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing embryo is extracted. The fluid is used to analyse the foetal cells and dissolved substances to determine the chromosomal pattern, which helps in detecting genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, haemophilia, and sickle-cell anemia. It does not analyse maternal hormones for this purpose. The procedure is legally restricted (through a statutory ban on sex determination) to check the increasing menace of female fo