Prenatal screening assesses your health and the development of your baby before she is born. The tests help your doctor or midwife diagnose problems with the baby's growth or development early in the pregnancy when interventions are possible. Some screenings and tests are standard at certain points in the pregnancy, while others are used only if a problem is detected. Learning about the types of screenings helps you prepare.
Blood
Initial blood tests near the beginning of pregnancy screen for various health conditions and blood information. Your doctor might test for rubella and hepatitis B to determine if either is a risk to your baby. Certain STDs, including HIV and syphilis, are part of the screening, as both pose a serious risk to an unborn child. The doctor also looks at your blood type and whether you are Rh positive or negative. An expectant mother who is Rh negative might need treatment if her baby is Rh positive to prevent the body from producing antibodies against the baby's blood. This type of screening helps determine the level of pregnancy hormones. Later in pregnancy, a blood draw allows your care provider to check for gestational diabetes.
Urine
Most pregnant women supply a urine sample at the beginning of every prenatal appointment. The screening looks for protein and high levels of sugar in the urine, which both indicate potential problems. Protein potentially means the expectant mother has a urinary tract infection, kidney disease or preeclampsia. Excessive sugar levels sometimes indicate diabetes. Any of these situations require treatment to prevent problems for the mother and the baby.
Amniocentesis
An amniocentesis is an additional screening test that only women with certain risks are given. The test draws out amniotic fluid using a large needle to test for particular problems like Down syndrome, spina bifida and metabolic disorders. The amniocentesis also helps the doctors determine if the baby's lungs are developed enough if a premature delivery is a possibility. This screening typically is performed only in older women, those with genetic disorders in the family, a parent of a previous child with a birth defect or after another screening test comes back with abnormal results.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound is a noninvasive screening method to detect abnormalities in a baby's development. Most pregnant women have at least one ultrasound during pregnancy to take measurements of the baby and look for problems in the baby's development. The ultrasound allows your doctor to check your amniotic fluid levels. Women with high-risk pregnancies often have more than one ultrasound to track the baby's growth or to monitor developmental problems.
