Prenatal Screening Tests | Tests during the first trimester of pregnancy
If when you found out you were pregnant, among the first things you thought you had is to make an appointment with the doctor, I congratulate You did great! It is necessary throughout your pregnancy, the doctor is closely monitoring your health and your baby. Here’s a guide to the tests or routine prenatal tests you should ask yourself when you’re expecting a baby.
Prenatal tests are done to get information about your health and your baby before birth. The different tests are done to prevent or predict problems during pregnancy or to control certain conditions that can affect your health and your baby. Each trimester of pregnancy requires different tests. Some of these tests are designed for all pregnant women and others that are more specialized and are depending on your age and personal and family history. To not take you by surprise, notes prenatal examinations necessary for you to increase the chances that your pregnancy is healthy:
Tests during the first trimester of pregnancy
Blood tests: These tests are done to identify your blood type and Rh factor to prevent problems with the baby’s blood, detect conditions such as anemia (low red blood cell levels), hepatitis B, HIV, syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In addition, blood tests reveal whether or not you are immune to some diseases such as rubella, chickenpox and other diseases such as toxoplasmosis can cause birth defects if contracted during pregnancy. They can also make the blood test to measure your levels of progesterone and hCG, a hormone that is produced by the placenta.
Urine test: This test will check for bacteria in the urine, indicating that you have a urinary tract infection (which if untreated can lead to complications for the mother and baby). The urine test also helps determine if you have sugar in the urine, which can be an indicator of high glucose levels or diabetes. It also detects if there is protein in the urine, which also indicates abnormalities in the urinary tract or, especially in advanced stages, high blood pressure.
Depending on your age and other genetic factors, your doctor may suggest some tests to evaluate your genetic predisposition to Down syndrome to cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, muscular dystrophy and the sickle cell anemia. This we should talk to your doctor to make an informed decision, according to your particular case and how your pregnancy is developing.