What are Prenatal Tests?
Prenatal tests can determine a variety of things about the overall health of a mother and her unborn baby. Certain tests are routine and almost all pregnant women get these tests as part of their prenatal care. Routine prenatal tests, such as blood and urine tests, can determine a mother’s blood type, whether she suffers from gestational diabetes, or is anemic, and whether she is immune to certain diseases or has a sexually transmitted disease. Other tests can tell a lot about an unborn baby’s health, specifically whether the baby has a genetic defect or other birth defects. Some common tests used to help screen for chromosomal abnormalities or other birth defects are ultrasound, alpha-fetoprotein testing, amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling. In the first-trimester, using both nuchal translucency (NT), an ultrasound exam that measures the thickness at the back of the neck of the fetus, and a blood test is an effective screening method. Neural tube defect screening should be offe
For women living in a developed country, with access to medical care, pregnancy most likely means undergoing significant prenatal testing. Prenatal tests are meant to determine if a mother is healthy and free from diseases or disorders that may affect her or the baby during pregnancy, and that the baby is developing normally. There are two basic types of prenatal tests: screening and diagnostic. Screening tests rule out conditions or detect the possible presence of a problem. A diagnostic test is performed to provide a more definite diagnosis of a possible disease or defect. Prenatal tests can determine a lot about a mother, baby and pregnancy. They can determine a baby’s gender, size, gestational age and location in the uterus. Prenatal tests may also check for genetic, congenital and chromosomal complications, as well as abnormalities in development. There are an estimated 250 different types of birth defects that a baby can develop, most of which are rare or curable. Prenatal testin
Past generations didn’t know how a baby was doing practically until it was born. Technical resources were much more limited than they are nowadays, as well as the understanding of the origin of some problems during pregnancy. Technological advances in the last decades have also reached the OB/Gyn field, and nowadays they offer a series of routine tests to check the status of the baby that is on the way. Every test must usually be done at a certain time and some are only carried out if a particular problem is observed. In general, prenatal tests may be divided into three different groups. Imaging tests The ultrasound or sonogram has become an indispensable tool to monitor the baby, since its introduction 40 years ago. Since then, no problems have been documented because of its usage. Ultrasounds work in a similar way as radars do: images are obtained by means of the sound waves emitted by a gadget they will rub over your belly, or introduce in your vagina. Then the technician or the doc
