+353 (1) 685 6929 It is true that you will be offered a variety of different prenatal tests throughout the course of your pregnancy. It is important to note that some of the tests will be carried out at every appointment and some of them will be one-time tests.
You will have routine testing at each appointment which will usually be carried out by a doctor or with a midwife.
Prenatal DNA testing
Amniocentesis, genetics tests and CVS are all tests that can screen for abnormalities in the baby. Amniocentesis is also used during the advanced stages of pregnancy to assess baby’s lung development (if premature labour is a concern). It is important to note that these tests can have risks to your baby so you will need to weigh up the pros and cons of each test.
These tests are also able to assist you in solving questions regarding the paternity of the unborn child. By extracting the babies DNA profile, it is possible to determine paternity by comparing the father’s DNA against the DNA of the baby. Recent technology has also given the possibility of doing this test with a simple blood draw, known as a non-invasive pregnancy paternity testing.
Prenatal health tests during pregnancy
The first test is a weight check. Most women eat well during their pregnancy and put on some weight which is perfectly normal. However rapid weight gain along with swelling can indicate a problem so it is important to keep track of your weight.
Another test will be a urine check which is usually done at each appointment. You will need to urinate into a small cup and then a dip stick is used to test for protein, leukocytes and glucose.
You will also have your blood pressure recorded to ensure it stays within normal range as rising blood pressure can also indicate a problem during pregnancy.
Other factors which will be recorded during pregnancy are the baby’s heart rate and your fundal height which shows how big your uterus is growing.
At the beginning of your pregnancy you are likely to be sent for a prenatal workup which is a series of blood tests which will then be screened for various things. This screening usually covers sexually transmitted diseases and your blood type and rubella antibody levels will also be recorded.
A pap smear is also common at the beginning of pregnancy, although you can decline this if you wish due to the high number of false positives during pregnancy. Ultrasounds are usually carried out around 12 weeks into your pregnancy and then again at around 20 weeks.
Glucose tolerance testing is also usually carried out through you drinking a pure glucose solution. Within an hour of consuming the drink your blood glucose level will then be tested and recorded. It is important to note that this test can be uncomfortable and make some women feel ill. If you usually have a diet which is low in carbohydrate then it may not be a good indicator of your body’s ability to handle glucose. If you are concerned about gestational diabetes you can record post-meal blood glucose levels over a several day period instead.