7 Must-Have Pregnancy Tests

Pregnancy is an absolutely outstanding and beautiful time in a woman’s life, and something that we believe needs to be celebrated. Yes, there are times when pregnant women feel like they spend a complete lifetime in the hospital, getting counseled by a doctor or a specialist. There are those rare occasions when pregnant women feel like they have a health condition, as they have to undergo a host of changes that do take a toll and visit pathology experts. Trust us on this, though – in spite of all the ups and downs it comes with, pregnancy needs to be celebrated and enjoyed, as it literally is not just beautiful, but also miraculous – after all, you produce an entire human being out of a single cell, a cell you can watch only through an electronic microscope, and even then, barely! Beat this! And yes, pregnancy is distinctly female.

While we do advocate the theory that pregnancy needs to be celebrated, we also endorse the view that utmost care needs to be taken during it, and that includes a healthy diet, regular exercise and mental and physical rest. Along with this, we also recommend seven must have pregnancy tests – tests we believe every pregnant woman should undergo.

Let’s delve deeper into the different must have tests at various stages of pregnancy.

1) Genetic Testing
While genetic testing, through which you get to know if father and mother might pass any diseases to the baby, is usually done before the pregnancy starts, it can also be done at the first prenatal appointment after around 8 weeks or so. This test is done to ascertain if any of the two parents has a serious genetic disorder that might get passed to the baby. Carrier screening is done through saliva or blood tests. If the mother tests positive, then the father is tested too and if he tests positive there is a chance that the baby might get affected by the condition. Parent’s family history matters a lot here.

2) Test for Rubella Immunity
You must surely have been vaccinated for rubella, but if by any slim chance you weren’t, chances are that you may contract measles during pregnancy and if that happens, it can cause multiple birth defects including deafness, eye abnormalities and congenital heart diseases. It is normally done before pregnancy but if not, it can be done at eight weeks.

3) CVS Testing: 10 Weeks
This test is done between 10 and 12 weeks to detect any chromosomal abnormalities or problems. A needle is inserted through the abdomen or vagina to remove a small amount of chrorionic villi. This test provides a chromosomal analysis, potentially over a month earlier than an amniocentesis. 

4) Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is performed between 16 and 20 weeks and it’s done to detect chromosomal abnormalities. This test is normally recommended for women over 35. As the woman’s age increases, the ratio of chromosomal problems can increase alarmingly. An ultrasound is used to locate a pocket of amniotic fluid and a needle is inserted to withdraw some fluid from which cells that come from the baby are analyzed for genetic defects. The fluid is also tested to help detect neural tube defects, defects that develop from abnormal development of brain, spinal cord or their coverings.

5) Ultrasound Test
An ultrasound test is performed between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy to check the development of fetal structures such as spine, limbs, brain and internal organs. The size and location of the placenta is also checked. 

6) Fetal Monitoring
It is also known as fetal heart rate monitoring and is a common prenatal test to check on a baby’s health. The baby’s heart rate is monitored to check how it responds to movements. It is normally done between 26 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. It’s done to evaluate the baby’s health before birth by checking on its heart to ascertain the oxygen supply to the baby.

7) Glucose Test
This test is usually done after 28 weeks and is done to diagnose if the Mother has diabetes during pregnancy. Usually after 28 weeks, the Mother starts displaying abnormal glucose levels and it’s important to diagnose the same.

Health Please is a lab pathology solutions company in India providing Lab Information Management Software solutions to premium pathologies.

By:

Nidhi Gopiani
Co-Founder
Health Please