You'll be curious to learn about your unborn child's growth during your pregnancy. Prenatal testing can provide important details about the health of your unborn child as well as your own.

Find out about the advantages and disadvantages of every test your doctor suggests. Prenatal testing, according to most parents, help them feel more at ease and ready for the arrival of their kid. However, you have the option to accept or reject a test.

Routine Screenings & Other Tests

If you haven't already, you should get a pregnancy test to confirm the pregnancy and a comprehensive physical examination from the obstetrician that includes a pelvic exam during your first visit. We will also test your urine (pee) for protein, sugar, and infection indicators.

The doctor will incorporate the routine cervical test (Pap smear) if it is scheduled as part of the pelvic exam. This test finds alterations in your cervical cells that may result in cancer. Your doctor will also check for sexually transmitted infections (STDs) including gonorrhea and chlamydia during the pelvic exam.

A blood test will look for conditions such as:

• Your Rh factor and blood type. You might develop antibodies that could harm your fetus if your spouse has Rh positive blood and yours is Rh negative. An injectable administered around the 28th week of pregnancy can stop this from happening.
• Low red blood cell count, or anemia
• syphilis, HIV immunity, hepatitis B, chickenpox (varicella), German measles (rubella), and spinal muscular atrophy. Even in cases where there is no family history, health care practitioners now frequently offer to screen for these illnesses.

Up until delivery, you may anticipate having your blood pressure, weight, and urine tested at each (or nearly every) visit. Preeclampsia, or dangerously elevated blood pressure, and gestational diabetes are among the disorders that these tests can detect.

Depending on a number of factors, including your age, health, and family medical history, you may be offered additional testing throughout the second trimester. These may consist of:

Multiple marker test

In order to screen for chromosomal abnormalities including Down syndrome and trisomy 18 as well as neural tube defects like spina bifida, this blood test is performed between weeks 15 and 20. To get more reliable results, test results might be linked with screening tests conducted during the first trimester (this is called an integrated screening test).

Ultrasound 

Using sound waves to create images that depict the baby's shape and location inside the uterus, an ultrasound is a safe and painless test. The majority of "level 2" or second-trimester ultrasounds are performed between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy in order to look at the baby's anatomy and make sure that development is going according to plan. In their second trimester, women with high-risk pregnancies might undergo several ultrasounds.

Glucose screening

This test looks for gestational diabetes, a temporary type of the disease that affects certain pregnant women and can have negative effects on the unborn child's health, particularly if left untreated. After consuming a sugary beverage, your blood will be drawn an hour later to measure your glucose levels. Usually performed between 24 and 28 weeks, it may be performed sooner if a woman has a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes.

Amniocentesis

During this test, a sample of the amniotic fluid around the infant is taken in order to look for indications of chromosomal diseases, genetic issues, and neural tube anomalies. Usually, women who are thought to be more likely to give birth to a child with one of these illnesses have it done between 15 and 20 weeks.

Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS)

This rapid technique, sometimes called cordocentesis, fetal blood sampling, or umbilical vein sample, uses fetal blood taken straight from the umbilical cord to look for fetal health issues. Usually, it is completed after 18 weeks of pregnancy. It's not used as frequently as other diagnostic procedures (such chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis), but it might be utilized if the findings of other procedures are inconclusive.

What Other Tests Might Be Offered?

During a woman's pregnancy, medical professionals may prescribe further tests depending on risk factors, her personal medical history, and the medical histories of her partner. If your child is susceptible to any inherited diseases, it is imperative that you consult a genetic counselor.

Among the available screening or diagnostic tests are those for:

• thyroid disease
• toxoplasmosis
• hepatitis C
• cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• Tay-Sachs disease
• fragile X syndrome
• tuberculosis
• Canavan disease (a rare neurological disorder)

Recall that you have the option to decline these tests, even though they are offered to you.

Consult with your healthcare professional to determine the appropriate tests for you. Discuss the reasons behind the recommendation, the advantages and disadvantages of the test, and what the results can and cannot reveal.

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