What Are Prenatal Tests and Why Do You Need to Do Them?
During your pregnancy, you will most likely be pushed, prodded, and pressed more than ever. Fortunately, many prenatal tests and screenings, such as blood tests, urinalysis, and ultrasounds, are painless and extremely valuable in protecting your and your baby’s health.
These tests provide the most accurate picture of your and your baby’s health and can detect numerous pregnancy issues at an early stage.
Some tests can save your baby’s life, while others can tell you more about how your kid is developing, such as whether he has a hereditary problem or other health concerns.
Prenatal tests that you can undertake
There are many tests and screenings that you can undertake for the sake of you and your baby. They include:
Urine tests
You start your pregnancy by peeing on an at-home pregnancy test, so it’s only natural that you’ll pee in a cup at nearly every prenatal visit. Why?
Urinalysis assists your doctor or midwife in screening you for two potentially hazardous pregnancy complications: preeclampsia (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes.
Both are curable, although they can be hazardous if not recognized. The good news is that giving a urine sample is risk-free, so drink plenty of water before each appointment.
Blood tests
Your doctor will take a blood sample at your first prenatal visit, which will be examined for disorders that could affect your pregnancy and delivery.
Your provider will precisely screen for anemia, as well as your blood type, hCG levels (a hormone generated by the fetus), immunity to certain infections, and Rh factor, which diagnoses Rh disease, another problem that can be readily controlled if your provider is aware of it in advance.
If you were not checked before pregnancy, you may be screened for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, spinal muscular atrophy, Tay-Sachs, thalassemia, and other genetic disorders.
Pap smear
At your first pregnancy consultation, your midwife or doctor may perform a Pap smear (or Pap test) to screen for abnormal cervical cells.
Sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs) such as gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, and chlamydia are also likely to be tested for.
If you test positive for a bacterial infection during pregnancy, your doctor will prescribe pregnancy-safe medications for you and maybe your partner since if you give birth while suffering from an untreated infection, such as pneumonia, your baby is at risk of catching the infection as well.
Genetic screening
Genetic screening determines whether you have a gene for (or are a “carrier” for) hereditary disorders, including cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy.
Your doctor will draw blood or swab saliva inside your cheek and send it to a lab. The results will be either affirmative (indicating that you are a carrier of the ailment) or negative (meaning that you are not a carrier of the illness).
While the test can be performed before getting pregnant, some women prefer to have it performed throughout their pregnancy.
If you are considering undertaking the tests, this holiday season, JScreen, a non-profit initiative committed to preventing genetic diseases, is joining hands with the iconic kosher brand Manischewitz to offer genetic screening services.
Jscreen and Manischewitz Team up to Provide Holiday Cheer and Comfort during the Holiday Season – Sophie Tabling
This collaborative initiative aims to raise awareness about the significance of genetic screening for family planning. College campuses are a primary emphasis, with students being provided genetic testing to help protect the health of their future kids.
Now in its tenth year, JScreen simplifies genetic screening by offering at-home saliva kits.
Individuals and couples can gain detailed insights into their genetic makeup and the danger of delivering a kid with a genetic disorder thanks to JScreen’s reproductive carrier testing.
If an elevated risk is discovered, JScreen’s genetic counselors conduct individual consultations via phone or video teleconferencing, exploring options to help with future child health planning.
Things you should know about prenatal testing
Is this the first time you are undertaking prenatal testing? There are plenty of things you should know. They include:
Always enquire about tests.
As part of the first-trimester bloodwork, your doctor will undertake a preliminary chromosomal screening for several abnormalities. They may also provide more advanced screenings, such as NIPT, to patients whose newborns are at risk of chromosomal problems.
Parents over the age of 35, parents who previously had a child with a genetic abnormality, and moms with a family history of particular disorders are among those who qualify. You should inquire about all of your options before you get in.
Think about the insurance.
Prenatal care is now covered by insurance than ever before. If you have specific risk factors for chromosome abnormalities and your doctor prescribes a test, your insurance may cover a portion of the cost, if not the entire cost.
If you aren’t sure whether your insurance will cover the costs, contact your provider and find out.
Think about the risks.
Screenings that simply take a blood or saliva sample are virtually risk-free, but other diagnostic tests, such as amnio, carry a very low risk of miscarriage.
Regardless of the results you get, undergoing genetic and chromosomal tests can create anxiety and mental issues.
Before undergoing a prenatal test, you should consult with a genetic counselor to help you assess the advantages of the test against the risks.
Consider the conditions that aren’t screened by tests
Some prenatal screenings, such as quad screens and first-trimester bloodwork, determine the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in a fetus.
More modern methods, such as NIPT, can predict a fetus’ chance of hundreds of different illnesses, such as Turner syndrome (a female newborn lacking an X chromosome) and triploidy (a kid with an extra set of chromosomes in each cell).
While this is the case, you should note that not all screenings and tests examine the same chromosomes, implying that they do not all test for the same disorders.
Furthermore, chromosomal tests cannot determine your baby’s risk for genetic illnesses such as sickle cell anemia, neural tube defects such as spina bifida, congenital heart defects (which can be detected via a nuchal translucency screening), or developmental issues.
In most cases, you may have to opt for a combination of screenings performed at various stages of pregnancy.
Accuracy of the results
Because not all screens and tests are equally accurate, examining how proper each recommended screening is at determining your baby’s risk of a chromosomal problem is critical.
NIPT, for example, can tell you whether your child is at risk for Down syndrome with greater than 99 percent accuracy, whereas quad tests are only approximately 80 percent reliable.
You should work with your health provider and get a test that gives you the best results.
About the Author
Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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