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First Prenatal Check Up Tests You May Need To Take

Prenatal care is important in ensuring the overall health and wellness of both mom and child. The first prenatal care visit can be stressful for females because medical doctors usually collect a lot of facts, in order to make sure that the pregnancy can be as problem free as can be .

Your medical provider could normally get a comprehensive medical background from you. That will include particulars regarding your menstrual cycle, contraceptive use, allergies, past pregnancies, and otherdiseases. In order for your medical doctor to properly manage your pregnancy, it is vital that you disclose even sensitive facts like abortion and use of drugs. If you were unable to discuss these with any of your family members, you can request that you speak to your doctor in private. The essential thing is to rule out any risks or potential complications throughout your pregnancy.

Health care providers carry out a lot of tests in order to ascertain that you are not having a high risk pregnancy. Here’s a list of the typical tests ordered by your medical doctor on the initial visit:

Physical Exam – Your doctor will check your blood pressure, height and bodyweight. Apart from assessing your overall wellness, your physician could also particularly assess your heart, lungs and breasts.

Pelvic Examination – A Pap smear is performed to check for cervical cancer and various sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. A bimanual internal exam is also carried out to ascertain the size of the uterus and pelvis. That may result in a slight discomfort but it is necessary in examining for abnormalities in the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Complete Blood Count – This test is done to determine infection, presence of anemia and to determine clotting ability.

Serologic Test for Syphillis – Syphillis has to be treated early in pregnancy to decrease the chance of fetal damage. The deformities may vary from bone and tooth deformities to nerve and brain damage. 

Blood Typing – This is crucial simply because expecting females with bleeding tendencies must have blood ready in case of emergencies.

Maternal Serum for Alpha-Fetoprotein (MSAFP) – This test is essential in determining neural tube and abdominal flaws in the fetus. It is typically conducted at 16 to 18 weeks of gestation.

Rubella – This test is carried out to screen for immunity against German measles. A lot ofPeople in America are immune against rubella simply because vaccinations are given during childhood. If you didn’t get the vaccine, stay away from individuals with this illness. Though it may be rare, it canbring about very serious problems for your child. 

Antibody Titers for Hepatitis B (HBsAg) – That test is used to screen for Hepatitis B, which may be transmitted to the baby through childbirth.

Varicella – This test is applied to screen for immunity from chickenpox. This test is normally requested for women who have no background of the illness. An exposure in the course of pregnancy may have harmful effects to the baby. 

Urinalysis – Medical practitioners need to test your urine to check for kidney disease and bladder infections. That test can additionally detect high levels of glucose which may point out to diabetes. Bladder infections are typical among pregnant women, and if left untreated, it may cause problems for the baby. 

Indirect Coombs’ Test – This could determine if Rh antibodies are present. An Rh factor is a protein on the surface of the blood cells that trigger an immune system response. If a woman is Rh negative and her partner is Rh positive, the baby’s blood type may not match, and it may cause Rh incompatibility. The incompatibility could set off the mother’s body to produce antibodies which may be harmful to the baby. Thus, an injection of Rh immune globulin (Rhogam) in the 28th week of pregnancy is necessary. This injection is additionally given in the event of bleeding during pregnancy and immediately after delivery of the baby. 

HIV Test – That  test in pregnancy is optional, but it is advisable because it enables a HIV positive female to begin therapy with Zidovudine (AZT). AZT may decrease the risk of the infant developing the disease. Women who have a background of using intravenous drugs, and who have several sex partners are encouraged to undergo testing. It may be a very important but it is never mandatory, so females have the right to refuse testing.

Genetic Exams – Your doctor may also request genetic assessments to ascertain illnesses which can be passed to the infant as a consequence of defective genes. Medical practitioners would normally prescribe this depending on your health-related history and ethnic background. People of Mediterranean descent, Blacks, French Canadians and Jews have a higher risk of getting Tay-Sach’s disease, sickle cell anemia and thalassemia.

Prenatal care is a really great step in ensuring a really healthy pregnancy.Though the first visit may demand a lot of tests, these are ordered so one can have the very best possible care through pregnancy. The next  prenatal visits may not be as lengthy as the first one however, every visit is equally important. A pregnant womanneed to work closely together with her physician to be sure of a healthy pregnancy.

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