1) Why are tests performed during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a process that ends with the formation and birth of a baby inside a woman's womb. During this process, a number of laboratory tests are performed. These tests provide useful information about the course of pregnancy from the formation of the pregnancy to the birth and the mother's condition. Some of the tests to be performed are performed at certain times of pregnancy. Other tests are performed in appropriate cases for problems that have occurred or may occur during pregnancy. As a result, these tests are requested in line with the age of the expectant mother, her lifestyle, and her and her husband's personal and family history.
2) What is the first test to be done during pregnancy?
The first test to be performed on the expectant mother during pregnancy is to determine whether or not there is a pregnancy. Fertilization generally occurs in the middle of the menstrual period. Pregnancy tests become clear approximately 15 days after fertilization, if the woman's menstrual period is late. These tests can be performed on urine, or in suspicious cases on blood.
3) What are the routine tests that should be done during pregnancy?
Although these tests vary from person to person;
1. Blood group determination. A woman can be Rh - or +. - If mothers have Rh + children from Rh + fathers, a special injection should be given after birth and the Rh - mother should be monitored for blood incompatibility during pregnancy.
2. Hemoglobin (blood count) to diagnose anemia
3. Sugar and/or protein in the urine (performed to diagnose diabetes or pregnancy-related hypertension (preeclampsia) during pregnancy.
4. Examination of infections such as hepatitis B, syphilis and HIV that may affect the mother and baby.
5. Examination of immunities related to rubella disease
These tests can be performed on the expectant mother during the first examination.
4) What special tests should be performed other than the tests mentioned above?
There are also special blood tests recommended between the third and fourth months of pregnancy. Levels of different chemicals in the mother's blood can help doctors diagnose certain conditions in the baby (e.g., Down syndrome, spina bifida).
Different tests are used as a screening system by measuring the levels of different hormones and proteins in the mother's blood and combining them. The results obtained from screening tests do not clearly show the diseases, but they do give an idea about them.
If HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and AFP (alpha fetoprotein) are used in screening tests , it is called a double test; if estriol is added to it, it is called a triple test; if inhibin A is added, it is called a quadruple test. The double test is performed by taking blood from the mother between 11-14 weeks, and the triple or quadruple test is performed between 16-19 weeks.
5) Are there any other tests that need to be done during pregnancy, apart from blood tests?
Apart from blood tests, other methods used for diagnosis during pregnancy are;
1) Ultrasonography
2) Measurement of nape thickness
3) Amniocentesis, cordocentesis
4) Chorionic villus sampling.
If we give brief information about these methods;
Ultrasonography: Starting from the early pregnancy period, with the detection of pregnancy, its size, whether it is alive or not, ultrasonography is an auxiliary organ throughout the pregnancy period.
Most women are subjected to detailed ultrasound tests between the 18th and 23rd weeks. These weeks are the most suitable weeks to get an idea about many organs and systems during pregnancy. In such a study, the rate of water in the baby, the baby's head, spine, heart, arms and legs, stomach, bladder and kidneys, the condition and location of the placenta that provides nutrient exchange between the mother and the baby are examined, and most of the structural abnormalities that may be present in the baby are detected. However, chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome may not be detected by ultrasound.
Nuchal translucency measurement: This test is a Down syndrome screening test recommended between the 3rd and 4th months of pregnancy. The thickness of the neck of babies is measured with the help of ultrasonography. Babies with Down syndrome have a thicker neck. If this thickness is greater than it should be, amniocentesis may be recommended for the patient. Nuchal translucency measurement can be used for diagnostic purposes by combining it with the double test.
Amniocentesis and cordocentesis: These 2 methods are performed by examining the baby with an ultrasound and taking some fluid from the water in which the baby is located or blood from the umbilical cord. Amniocentesis is performed between weeks 15-19. Genetic research is performed on the baby by producing the baby's cells from the skin cells in the fluid. The test result is available in 1 month, and the procedure carries a 0.5-1% risk of miscarriage. This method is recommended for pregnant women with risky results in screening tests, older mothers, or those whose babies are at risk of genetic disorders. Cordocentesis can be performed between weeks 18-22 of pregnancy. The risk of miscarriage is higher than amniocentesis.
Chorionic villus sampling: This method is generally applied between the 2nd and 3rd months of pregnancy. The results of the test are available within a day or two. However, the results are not as clear as amniocentesis and the method is more difficult. In this test, a sample is taken from the placenta itself, which provides nutritional exchange between the mother and the baby. The risk of miscarriage is between 1% and 2% on average.
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