The 6 Most Important Tests In Pregnancy (Part 1)

The followings are 6 most important tests in pregnancy and reasons why you need to carry them. Take a deep look to have clever decisions.

Test that needs carrying before getting pregnant – Genetic screening

The genetic test is taken before getting pregnant, but it can be taken in the first antenatal visits which are in about 8 weeks or longer.

Genetic screening is carried out to detect some genetic disorders of parents, define whether they are dangerous or not. Although parents don’t have diseases, it doesn’t mean they don’t carry a kind of disease gene that can transmit to their children.

The screenings are carried by saliva or blood tests.

Genetic screening is carried out to detect some genetic disorders of parents, define whether they are dangerous or not.

On the first date – Rubella immunity test

Rubella is an infection caused by viruses which belong to the Rubivirus group.  Rubella is also called German measles or 3-day measles because it just lasts for 3 days. Rubella virus has effects on fetal development and is able to cause stillbirth, miscarriage, premature birth or birth defects. This disease is particularly dangerous when pregnant women who are infected with acute Rubella in the 13^th week of pregnancy.

The virus can go through the placenta and cause congenital Rubella syndrome including defects to eyes (cataracts), ears (deafness), cardiovascular and brain (microcephaly), cause splenomegaly, meningitis… The severity of defects depends on the age that fetuses infected with viruses. The risk can be up to 90% if the mother is infected with the viruses in the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Pregnant women should consider and wisely decide to take medical examination during pregnancy.

Vaccines that are used for Rubella prevention are made from Rubella virus that is alive and attenuated. Women at reproductive age, after being vaccinated against Rubella, are advised to take contractive methods in 3 months or 1 month at least. Women repair to get pregnant should take examination to know whether you are immune from the disease or not. If not, you should get vaccinated.

Besides, pregnant women who aren’t immune should avoid contacting with Rubella patient. In the case you have contacted with the patients, you should see a doctor to receive consideration and right treatment from the doctor. You may have to take examinations during pregnancy to have diagnoses.

10 weeks – CVS test

The chorionic villus develops earlier then amniotic fluid so checking its sample can provide valid information about genes and chromosomes before taking amniocentesis. CVS is a method which is conducted by chorionic villus.

In obstetrics, CVS aims to early diagnose fetal defects and is limitedly designate to cases that have a high level of congenital defects as to pregnant women who are over 35 or have history in genetic disorder, abnormal birth.

This is a method which is applied in the first period of pregnancy (usually around the 10^th-12^th weeks).CVS is performed under ultrasound control before the bag of water completely fills the uterine cavity.

A small amount of the chorionic villus tissue is taken out analyze.

There’re devices that can go over the cervix or pregnant women’s abdomen (like amniocentesis) to take samples. A device called speculum is put in the cervix, under the uterine cavity and the outer edge of the placenta after that. A small amount of the chorionic villus tissue is taken out analyze.

CVS requires high technology, modern devices and hygiene. If those strict requirements aren’t met, fetuses easily have defects. Therefore, moms who are in the designated group need to carefully choose a medical facility to avoid unfortunate consequences.

At the 16^th week of pregnancy – Amniocentesis test

Amniocentesis is a popular test to pregnant women due to the fact that the amniotic fluid has cells from baby’s skin and mother’s uterus. This method is used to diagnose fetal sex, Down and other genetic diseases… It’s taken in around the 16^th-20^th weeks of pregnancy to find abnormal chromosomes.

Amniocentesis is a popular test to pregnant women due to the fact that the amniotic fluid has cells from baby’s skin and mother’s uterus.

Pregnant women who are in the situation below should have amniocentesis:

·         Over 35 years old at the time having labor (the number of abnormal chromosome increases with the mother’s age.

·         Having history of birth defects

·         Having family member that has birth defects.

·         Having ultrasound or genetic test resulting abnormal pregnancy.

Doctors will use a small needle to pierce the abdominal skin to take out an amount of amniotic fluid (about 14g) without local anesthesia. The fluid will be centrifuged to separate the skin cells from it. The cells will be transplanted in 2.5-to-5-week time. The amniocentesis will help you diagnose the risk of Down in the easiest way in comparison to other methods; moreover, it can provide lots of fetal information.

However, when deciding to take amniocentesis, you need to consider the benefits and risks that are relating. The risk of miscarriage after having amniocentesis is very low, over 1%. However, by its result, you can decide whether to keep the fetuses or not.