Prenatal examination: What pregnant mothers need to know

When you are pregnant, prenatal screening provides information about the health of you and your baby.

Prenatal screening helps to detect any problems that could affect the fetus such as birth defects or genetic diseases, thereby helping you make the best healthcare decisions before and after your baby is born. . Please refer to the article below to better understand the necessary tests in pregnancy.

Periodic prenatal examination

You may have different prenatal visits during the first, second, and third trimester periods. Some will check on your health and others provide information about your baby.

During your pregnancy, you will have regular checkups to make sure you are healthy. Your doctor will check your blood and urine samples to diagnose certain types of illness, including:

HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases;

Anemia;

Diabetes;

Hepatitis B disease;

Preeclampsia , a type of high blood pressure .

Your doctor will also check your blood type and see if your blood cells contain a protein called Rh. You may also have to do:

Pap smear test;

Test B Strep. Your doctor will look at the skin in and around your vagina to check for these bacteria. This usually happens in the last month of pregnancy;

Supersonic. This technology uses sound waves to create images of your baby and organs. If you have a normal healthy pregnancy, you will have 2 scans, one at the moment of finding out how many weeks you are pregnant and the second at 18–20 weeks to check Check the baby's development and make sure its organs are developing normally.

Other tests

If you get positive on the screening test, your doctor may use other tests to find the problem.

Amniocentesis

This method uses a thin needle inserted into the abdomen, the doctor will take a sample of fluid around the fetus and check for genetic disorders or birth defects. This procedure carries a number of risks. About 1 in 300 to 500 women will have a miscarriage because of the amniocentesis. Your doctor will tell you to what extent it is necessary for you to perform this method.

Membrane Velvet (CVS) Sampling

Your doctor takes a small sample of the placenta by placing a needle over your abdomen or a thin tube over your vagina. Your doctor will check for Down syndrome and other genetic diseases. Only a few high-risk women will need this test, usually if the test shows a risk of birth defects. The procedure will let you know for sure if the problem is found, but it also comes with a risk of miscarriage similar to amniocentesis. Talk to your doctor about whether or not you need to get a villus sample.

When you receive the results, what should you do?

Prenatal test results can help you make important decisions about your health care. However, it is important to remember that many tests are only approximate and not completely certain. No test is 100% accurate.

Talk to your doctor about the results and what they mean so you can decide what to do after a positive result and find out the right treatment for your baby with a disorder. The following questions will help you to better understand this issue:

What is the significance of these tests?

What do the results show and not include?

What are the consequences of not having these tests?

What to do with the results?

How precise are the tests?

What are the risks?

How long does it take to get results?

How does the test feel?

How much does this test cost, is it covered by insurance?

Where should the test be?

The above article hopes to equip future mothers with necessary and useful knowledge so that pregnant mothers can know how to best protect themselves and their babies.