Medical Tests During Pregnancy
Nervous about visiting your doctor?
Know what to expect and your options.
There are a number of tests you may take throughout your pregnancy to ensure that all is well for you and your baby. The tests you take will depend on your age and your pregnancy history. A number of these test can also help you determine the gender of your baby.
An ultrasound will probably be one of the first performed to confirm your pregnancy. In particular, 3D ultrasounds offer especially high quality imaging. This type of ultrasound provides a particularly candid glimpse into the life of your growing baby. But after the ultrasound, how do you know which tests you should have?
There are some tests that all mothers will be offered, like glucose screening and alpha-fetoprotein. Tests for things like cystic fibrosis are only performed if you have a family history of the disease.
Other tests, like chorionic villus screening and amniocentesis are more commonly offered to pregnant women over the age of 35. After having an amniocentesis test, some women may be recommended for further testing involving fetal blood sampling. Women can confirm the true father of their baby by opting for paternity testing. This can be done as early as the tenth week of pregnancy.
Combined first-trimester screening is a new test that has only started being offered to pregnant women. Performed in the first trimester, this test is safer and more accurate than many other prenatal screening tests.
Your medical practitioner and/or genetic counselor will advise you on which tests would be most beneficial. Because all of these tests have positive and negative aspects, it is important to be informed about them. Be sure to read about all of them so you can decide what you want to be tested for.
Why Would I Have an Ultrasound?
There are several indications for ultrasound in a pregnant woman including:
- | Establishing the presence of a living embryo or fetus |
- | Determining the cause of bleeding in early or mid-late pregnancy |
- | To diagnose any potential congenital abnormalities in the developing embryo or fetus. If birth defects are suspected, your provider will refer you for a more detailed ultrasound examination. |
- | To determine if there are twins or multiple pregnancies |
- | To determine the location, size or possible abnormalities of the placenta. |
- | To estimate the age and size of the fetus. Size of the fetus is important when preterm delivery is being contemplated or when the baby is believed to be late. |
- | To evaluate the position of the fetus and the placenta and to locate the fetus prior to chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis |
- | Determine the condition of the fetus if no heartbeat has been detected by 14th week or if there has been on fetal movement by week 22. |
- | Locate an IUD that was in place at the time of conception. |
- | Measure the amount of amniotic fluid |
- | Check for fibroids within the uterus. |
- | Detect cervical changes that might predict preterm labor. |
- | Verify breech presentation or other uncommon fetal or cord position before delivery. |
- | Providing valuable information leading to treatment that can improve a woman’s chances of having a healthy baby. |
Summary Risks and Benefits of Ultrasound
Ultrasound is safe for you and your baby because it does not use x-rays to produce an image. Using sound waves so high they can’t be heard by the human ear, ultrasound allows visualization and "examination" of the fetus without X-rays. Studies show that low-risk women who have routine ultrasound exams are no more likely to have healthy babies than low-risk women how don’t have the test. The only potential risk is the chance that ultrasound may not detect all birth defects, and occasionally give a false positive result, where the patient is told incorrectly that her baby may have a birth defect. Frequent follow-up exams can ensure that false positive results are kept to a minimum.
