Prenatal screenings and tests (like urinalysis, blood tests, and ultrasounds) are beneficial, pain-free and are mandatory to carry out in routine. The test offers the most accurate view possible of your and your baby’s health to diagnose any pregnancy complications beforehand. Get in touch with your doctor and ask which tests are necessary for you and how to schedule them during your pregnancy.
Here is a list of prenatal pregnancy tests that you should discuss with your doctor:
Urine tests
Urinalysis helps your doctor or midwife check you for two potentially dangerous pregnancy complications: high blood pressure (aka preeclampsia) and gestational diabetes. Both are treatable but can be dangerous if they’re not identified, and detecting it using a urine sample is risk-free.
Pap test
Your midwife or doctor might do a Pap test at your first prenatal appointment to check for abnormal cervical cells. You’ll also likely be screened for sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, and chlamydia. If the result is positive for a bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe pregnancy-safe antibiotics for you.
CVS and amniocentesis
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis tests take samples of placental or amniotic material to look at the actual genetic makeup of your baby, so they are more accurate in detecting chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome and, in the case of the amnio, neural tube defects.
Ultrasound
This test can also uncover conditions that need to be monitored before delivery, such as heart defects. If you’re 35 or older, you’ll likely get a lot more ultrasounds than expectant moms under 35 will have.
Group B strep test
About 25 percent of women have group B strep, a type of bacteria in the vagina and rectum. If you do, it’s harmless to you and could cause an infection in your baby when he or she is exposed to the bacteria during childbirth.
Especially when it comes to your or your baby’s health, prenatal Pregnancy Testing in NJ tests will allow you to make better health care decisions, and solve or manage unexpected conditions during pregnancy.