- URINE TEST : You will probably be asked for one at every antenatal clinic you attend because the contents of your urine can show a lot of things.
If sugar is found on two consecutive appointments, it could be an indication of pregnancy-related diabetes. Protein in your urine can be a sign of pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure).
Is it safe? It is non-intrusive and entirely safe.
- BLOOD TEST : Given routinely throughout pregnancy to check for a number of things including :
- Rubella (German Measles) : Most women are immune through vaccination or having the disease as a child.
- Iron levels : To test for anæmia, which can make you extremely tired.
- Hepatitis B : If you are a carrier, you could pass it to you baby and cause liver disease. At-risk babies can be given antibody injections at birth.
- Rhesus (Rh) factor : If your blood is Rhesus positive and your baby's is Rh negative (as it may be if your partner's is), your body might treat your baby's blood as a foreign substance. In this case you will be offered an injection at 28 weeks and another after the birth to prevent rejection.
Is it safe? It is non-intrusive and entirely safe.
- CVS (Chronic Villis Sampling) : A very accurate test carried out between the eighth and tenth weeks to detect chromosomal abnormalities such as Down's syndrome. It will not detect spina bifida.
It involves taking an extract of the placenta to be tested. Women over 35 or those with a family history of genetic disorders may choose to have it decause of the increased risk of an abnormal baby.
Is it safe? There is a slightly higher risk of miscarriage with CVS – a one in 100 chance – than there is with amniocentesis. But the advantage is you will get an earlier result.
- ULTRASOUND : Every expectant mum is given an ultrasound scan. Extra ones are ordered as needed. The first is at 12 weeks and the second at 18 - 22 weeks. If there is any sign of a problem you can have one as early as week seven and right to the end of pregnancy.
The first scan will reveal the baby's age and fins out if you are having two or more children. The second checks the development of the baby's organs. It can be used later to detect spina bifida.
Is it safe? It has been used for nearly 30 years and has shown to be perfectly safe. In some hospitals, vaginal ultrasound can be used to diagnose ectopic pregnancy and to deliver the cause of pain or bleeding.
- AFP (Alpha-Feto Protein test) : This test is carried out between weeks 16 and 18 to see if the baby has Down's syndrome or spina bifida. It is a simple blood test. High levels of alpha-feto protein suggests spina bifida and low levels suggest Down's syndrome.
Is it safe? It carries no risk to the mother or baby and the results are normally available within a week.
BUT don't panic if you test positive. Other checks are needed to confirm the presence of an abnormality and most babies who appear positive are perfectly healthy.
Your next decision will be whether to have an amniocentesis to get definite results.
- AMNIOCENTESIS : This is normally carried out between weeks 15 and 18 but can be performed as early as week 12 and as late as week 20. Before week 14 it has been shown to cause miscarriages. It tests for chromosomal disorders, such as Down's syndrome, and involves using a needle to take a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
Women over 35 are routinely given it or advised to have it because age increases the risk that their baby will be a victim of Down's syndrome.
Those with positive results from the AFP test will be offered amniocetesis as will those where there is a family history of certain birth defects.
Is it safe? There is one chance in 150 of women developing an infection or complication resulting in a miscarriage. The test is 99 per cent accurate.
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