Advice About Tests During Pregnancy
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Posted On :
Jan-05-2012
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Article Word Count :
726
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In your first visit, the physician will do a thorough gynecological exam. Your cervix will be checked, and a clinical pelvimetry exam performed...
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The Normal Tests
In your first visit, the physician will do a thorough gynecological exam. Your cervix will be checked, and a clinical pelvimetry exam performed, where the doctor uses his hands to get an estimate of the size of the pelvic bones to determine if your anatomy is adequate for delivering a baby vaginally. Other areas to be checked will be the breasts, heart, and lungs. The doctor probably won't recheck the cervix again until it is medically indicated, for example, if there is a concern for preterm labor or if a woman is actually in labor. Here are some of the more common tests that will be performed on most women. Obviously, all the tests that are ordered are up to your physician, so if you don't get a specific test, don't panic. Your doctor may not think it is necessary for you to have that particular one.
Urine Screen
A urine screen is primarily performed to check for urinary tract infections, more commonly known as UTIs. Occasionally, the urine screen may pick up other abnormalities of renal function, such as excess sugar or protein. Pregnant women seem to be more prone to UTIs than they are normally. If the screening tests positive for an infection, often the doctor will order a culture to determine which organisms are responsible for the infection. That way the doctor can determine antibiotic sensitivity, finding out which antibiotic would be most effective against a specific organism.
Why it's important: Because UTIs can lead to kidney infections. If the infection is allowed to progress, this could lead to harmful effects on the pregnancy, as well as increase the risk for sepsis (a serious life-threatening infection involving the blood) in the mother.
Blood Type and Rh Status and Antibody Screen
Blood tests will check your blood type, your Rh status, and an antibody screen. Your blood type needs to be checked so that a potential mix-up of bloods can be averted if there is a need for a transfusion. Rh negative women need to be identified in advance so that they can be considered as candidates for RhoGAM, an immunoglobulin that is given at 28 weeks of pregnancy and within 72 hours of delivery in order for the mother to keep from becoming Rh sensitized. Occasionally, RhoGAM is also given when there is a potential risk for fetal blood to mix with the mother's blood, such as in a car accident or in amniocentesis.
Why it's important: Giving this medication prevents the mother's body from mounting an antibody response against an Rh positive baby in future pregnancies. An antibody screen detects antibodies, both Rh and less common types, that may occur in the fetus or newborn.
Syphilis Screen
Although syphilis is more common in urban areas of the U.S., it can be found any-where. If a syphilis test comes back positive, then an FTA (Free Treponemal Antibody) test is performed. If this test is positive, then syphilis is officially diagnosed. When a woman is pregnant, the only medicine she can take for syphilis is penicillin. If she weren't pregnant, she could be treated with other medications.
Why it's important: Syphilis can lead to preterm labor or even death. Syphilis can also affect the baby's growth and cause congenital anomalies. In the early part of the 20th century (1900s), 40% of all baby's deaths were related to syphilis, but in recent times syphilis has rarely been identified as a cause of death. However, because of the increase in syphilis in the U.S., increased surveillance is recommended. In the past decade alone, maternal and congenital syphilis has increased several fold in the U.S. The infection can occur during any trimester of pregnancy. Overall, untreated syphilis can be transmitted to the fetus or embryo in at least 50% of all pregnancies, causing serious problems with the baby, not the least of which is death.
Hepatitis B
Women who have hepatitis B or have been infected previously can transmit the disease to their infant during or after birth, so it's important to discuss in advance what the best way to deliver your baby should be. Why it's important: Babies can become carriers and develop chronic hepatitis. Between 25–35% of those people infected eventually die from cirrhosis or liver cancer.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Advice About Tests During Pregnancy_129080.aspx
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Author Resource :
I enjoy share sources that assist address common issues in women. For more information about having a baby naturally, check out this Personal Path to Pregnancy. Also check out Pregnancy Without Pounds, where you can discover techniques to have a healthy pregnancy while remaining sexy after birth.
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Keywords :
Tests Performed During Pregnancy, Medical Tests During Pregnancy, Common Tests During Pregnancy,
Category :
Health and Fitness
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Health and Fitness
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