amniocentesis involves taking amniotic fluid to analyse fetal cells and dissolved substances. It is used to test for the presence of genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, haemophilia, and sickle-cell anemia. While the technique can determine sex (based on chromosomal patterns), which has led to a statutory ban to prevent female foeticide, it is designed for chromosomal and metabolic analysis. Cleft palate is a structural or morphological abnormality typically detected via ultrasound scanning, not by the chromosomal analysis performed in amniocentesis.