Tests during pregnancy

For most women the nine months they are pregnant it can seem like they make one visit after another to see some sort of medical professional, the reality is that providing everything goes smoothly you will only attend midwifes appointment and scans. It should progress like this:

Early in your pregnancy you will visit the G.P. or midwife who will ask various questions about your general health, your family history, social history, and about any previous pregnancies which you have had. This is not a test but it is very important as it can raise issues which may need you needing special attention during the pregnancy. At this check you will be weighed and your height will be taken, this is to see if you are significantly underweight or overweight which may increase the risks during pregnancy. You will then undergo regular checks where the midwife will check:

The growth of the baby,This is done by a midwife or doctor during routine antenatal checks. They use a tape to measure from the top of the growing uterus (womb) to the pubic bone (the bone at the bottom of your abdomen).

Your blood pressure, to ensure that it is normal as raised blood pressure can indicate problems such as pre-eclampsia.

The baby's position, The midwife will examine your abdomen to feel the baby to detect if the baby is laying breech position (bottom down). If so, treatment to turn the baby to a head down position may be considered.

Your urine, Urine is checked at antenatal checks using a simple dipstick test to detect, protein in the urine may indicate early pre-eclampsia. or bacteria, during pregnancy you can have an infection of the urine without symptoms.


Blood tests
A sample is taken as a routine procedure and sent to the labs to check for:

Anaemia - The common reason for anaemia is lack of iron which can usually be treated easily with iron tablets.

Blood group - If you are rhesus D negative and your baby is rhesus positive then you may form anti-D antibodies in your bloodstream. These are not dangerous in the first pregnancy, but can attack the blood cells of a baby who is rhesus D positive in any future pregnancy. To prevent this you will usually be offered anti-D injections later in the pregnancy. Various other antibodies sometimes develop against red cells. Their significance varies and a doctor or midwife will explain if any action should be taken if they are detected.

Certain infections - Some uncommon but serious infections are checked for. These are, HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis

Rubella status - This test checks for antibodies to the rubella virus (German measles). If antibodies are present it means that you are immune to this infection. If you are not immune, when you are pregnant you should keep away from anyone who may have rubella.
A repeat blood test at about 28 weeks is usually offered to re-check for anaemia and red cell antibodies.

Routine ultrasound scans
An ultrasound scan is a safe and painless test which uses sound waves to show you picture of your child in the womb. A routine ultrasound scan is usually offered at:
10-13 weeks of pregnancy to accurately date the age of the unborn baby and expected time of birth, and to check for twins (or more), and at:
18-20 weeks of pregnancy to look for physical abnormalities of the unborn baby.

Screening for Down's syndrome
Down's syndrome is a condition which is caused by an abnormal chromosome. Children with Down's syndrome have learning disability and often have other medical problems. There are different screening tests for Down's syndrome and so different tests may be used in different areas. Your doctor or midwife will explain the type of test performed in your area, and the implications of the results.

Screening for placenta previa
Placenta previa means that the placenta is covering the opening from the uterus to the cervix. This can cause serious problems during childbirth. If an earlier ultrasound scan indicates that you may have a placenta previa, a repeat scan at 36 weeks pregnancy may be advised to clarify the position of the placenta before delivery. Your midwife or GP will be able to advise you further on this issue.

You see as long as everything is ok there aren’t that many visits and most of them are simple and not too embarrassing they start to prepare you for the fact that what feels like half the hospital is going to see you with most of your dignity striped away so try to prepare yourself