Testing during pregnancy

They are usually called prenatal tests, and are the ones a woman must do during her pregnancy in order to reassure the baby's and herself’s good health. They are divided into screening and diagnostic tests. Screening tests only reveal the possibility of a problem while diagnostic testing accurately finds if the fetus has a specific issue. Prenatal first visit: The visit where your doctor confirms your pregnancy and checks if you or your baby are at risk of any health issue. To confirm pregnancy, you may have to take a urine pregnancy test, which checks for hCG, a hormone and pregnancy indicator. Your urine is also tested for protein, sugar, and signs of infection. When your pregnancy is confirmed, your due date is calculated based on the date of your last menstrual cycle (period). Sometimes an ultrasound exam will help you to figure this out. The doctor will then perform a physical exam, which may include a weight assessment, blood pressure check, and breast and pelvic examination. If you're due for your routine cervical test (Pap smear), the doctor will do it during the pelvic exam. This test detects changes in cervical cells that could lead to cancer. Your doctor will also check for STDs during the pelvic examination. He will also ask for a blood test, in order to see your and your partner’s blood type and Rh factor. If your blood is Rh negative and your partner's is Rh positive, you may develop antibodies that prove dangerous to your fetus, but thankfully this can be prevented through an injection given around the 28th week of pregnancy. Other conditions a blood test can detect are anemia, hepatitis, cystic fibrosis, immunity to German measles and others. Testing during the first trimester: Carrier screening for genetic conditions: This screening test checks your blood or saliva to see if you’re a carrier of certain genetic conditions that could possibly affect the fetus. If you’re a carrier, it means you don’t have the condition yourself but you do have a genetic change that could be passed to your baby. If both you and your partner are carriers of the same condition, there is a greater risk that your baby will have the condition. Carrier screening can be done before pregnancy or during the early weeks of pregnancy. If results show that you or your partner is a carrier, you may be able to find out if your baby has the condition or is a carrier of the condition. Cell free fetal DNA testing: This screening test checks your blood for your baby’s DNA. The DNA is examined for certain genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome, and is done after 9 weeks of pregnancy. Your doctor may recommend the test if an ultrasound shows your baby may have a birth defect or if you've already had a baby with a birth defect. If you have this test, your provider may recommend you have a diagnostic test, like amniocentesis, to confirm the results. Chorionic villus sampling (CVS): This diagnostic test checks tissue from the placenta to see if your baby has a genetic condition. CVS is done at 10 to 13 weeks of pregnancy, and your doctor may want you to have CVS if you’re older than 35, if there’s a history of genetic conditions in your family or if your first-trimester screening shows that your baby is at increased risk for birth defects. First-trimester ultrasound: The doctor may use early ultrasound to make sure that you’re pregnant or to date your pregnancy so you know how far along in pregnancy you are. First-trimester screening: This screening test includes a blood test and an ultrasound to see if your baby may be at risk for some birth defects, like Down syndrome and heart defects, and is usually done at 11 to 13 weeks of pregnancy. Testing during the second trimester: Maternal blood screening: It checks your blood to see if your baby may be at risk for some birth defects, such as Down syndrome. It’s called a quad screen because it measures 4 substances in your blood: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), estriol, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and inhibin A. The test is done at 15 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. Ultrasound: The doctor will perform an ultrasound between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, and check your baby’s growth and development and check for any birth defects. Amniocentesis: During this procedure, a sample of amniotic fluid is taken from around the baby. The fluid is tested to see if your baby has a birth defect or genetic condition. The test usually is done at 15 to 20 weeks of pregnancy. Glucose screening: It checks to see if you may have gestational diabetes. This is a kind of diabetes that some women get during pregnancy, and you have to be at 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy to get tested. Testing during the third trimester: For starters hurray you’ve got so far and you are just 3 months away from welcoming your baby! In your last trimester (months 7, 8 and 9 of pregnancy), your doctor does a test for group B strep (also called GBS). Group B strep is an infection you can pass to your baby during birth. The test checks fluid from your cervix to see if you have GBS. It’s possible to take some extra testing according to your personal medical history but this is always upon doctor’s consultation. The tests may sound intimidating but they are all for your own and baby’s protection and don’t cause any pain or discomfort. A very important thing during your pregnancy is to have a doctor who you trust and feel comfortable and safe with him/her. Choosing the right doctor is not an easy task and there are many women that have switched doctors during their pregnancy or even after their first pregnancy and on to the second one. MEDIPASS has the honor to cooperate with 8 highly experienced fertility specialists who have treated many couples-and many of those who struggle with infertility- and have successfully helped to give birth to many healthy babies. We are all here, caring for your wellbeing, offering you the safest fertility journey you deserve.