Routine and Special Tests During Pregnancy
Throughout your pregnancy, many tests will be done as part of your standard prenatal care. Sometimes additional tests will be done because of your age, your family history or any health concerns that you may have. These tests give your doctor valuable information that will allow him or her to provide you and baby with the best prenatal care possible.
For more information on what these tests are, what information they provide, why they are done and how they can affect you and your baby please refer to our on-line Resource Catalogue for resources.
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is typically done between the 15th and 18th week of pregnancy to see if your baby has certain genetic conditions such as Down’s Syndrome or Cystic Fibrosis.
During this test, your doctor will insert a needle through your abdomen and into your uterus to collect a small sample of amniotic fluid (the bag of waters that surrounds your baby).
Typically, this test will be done if:
- you are over 35 years old
- you have had a baby with certain genetic disorders (birth defects)
- you have had a maternal serum screening test that shows that you are at risk for having a baby with a genetic disorder
- someone in your or your partner’s family has had a baby with a genetic disorder
Biophysical Profile
A biophysical profile is typically done later in pregnancy for women who may be having pregnancy problems, whose baby is growing slowly or whose baby is overdue.
During this test, you’ll have a non-stress test (to see if your baby’s heartbeat speeds up when he/she moves) and an ultrasound test (to check your baby’s breathing, body movements, muscle tone and amniotic fluid)
Blood Tests
Throughout your pregnancy, your doctor will want you to have many different blood tests; some will only be done once at the beginning of your pregnancy, but others may be repeated throughout your pregnancy.
Blood Group and Rh Type
Your blood will be one of four types: A, B, O or AB. It’s important to know what your blood type is in case you need a blood transfusion.
Most people (85-95%) have a specific substance or protein in their blood called a Rhesus factor (Rh factor). If you have this protein, you are Rh-positive; if you do not have this protein, you are Rh-negative. If you have Rh-negative blood and the baby’s father has Rh-positive blood, your baby may also have Rh-positive blood. In this case, your body will recognize your baby’s blood as being different from yours and will develop antibodies to protect you from what it thinks is foreign blood. In this situation, you will be given a series of shots: one around week 28 of your pregnancy, one after you give birth and one if you have bleeding in your pregnancy to stop your body from developing these antibodies.
Glucose Screening
Glucose screening is a blood test that finds out how much sugar you have in your blood and shows whether you have gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy). Women with gestational diabetes often do not have any symptoms, yet if left untreated, this condition can cause serious problems for your baby. Gestational diabetes can often be treated with diet and exercise alone, but in some cases, you might need to take insulin injections throughout your pregnancy.
Hemoglobin (Iron) Levels
Hemoglobin (iron) carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. This test will detect whether or not you have low hemoglobin levels (a condition called anemia) which would make you feel tired. If this is the case, you will be encouraged to eat a diet rich in iron or your may need to take an iron pill.
Hepatitis B and C
Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HVC) are both viruses that cause serious liver disease. If you have either form of hepatitis, you can pass it on to your baby. It is important to be tested because the infection can be so mild that you may not realize that you are infected, but it can still be serious for your baby.
If the Hepatitis B virus is detected before you become pregnant, you can be treated so that you do not infect your baby. If the virus is detected when you are pregnant, you should still begin treatment to lower the risk that your baby will be infected.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that damages the nerves and brain and destroys the body’s natural defense system against disease (which means that your body cannot fight infection). If you become sick with HIV, you will be diagnosed with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). While there is no cure for HIV or AIDS, you can lower your risk of passing on HIV to your baby by being treated.
Rubella (German Measles)
This test checks to see you have a special substance called antibodies in your blood to protect you from the German Measles or Rubella virus. For someone that is not pregnant, rubella typically causes mild symptoms (usually a rash), but if you get this virus when you’re pregnant it can cause big problems for your baby including blindness, deafness, mental retardation and heart defects. If you do not have the antibodies to protect you from getting this virus, you will be encouraged to be vaccinated (this involves getting a shot that will help your body make these protective antibodies).
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Many people have sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and don’t know it because many STIs don’t produce visible symptoms. It’s important to be tested for STIs when you’re pregnant because sometimes you can pass them on to your baby either when your pregnant, when your baby is being born, or when you are breastfeeding. Some STIs can cause very serious problems in your baby. For example, untreated syphilis can cause brain damage, blindness, deafness or death in your baby. Many STIs (such as chlamydia and gonorrhea) can be treated during pregnancy and while others (such as genital herpes) cannot be treated; however, knowing that you have this condition will allow your doctors to help prevent your baby from becoming infected.
Group B Streptococcus
Group B Streptococcus (Group B Strep, GBS) is commonly found in the vagina or rectum of many healthy women and typically does not cause problems for adults; however, it can cause pneumonia (lung infection) or meningitis (brain infection) in your baby. The test for GBS is typically done between the 35th and 37th week of pregnancy to determine whether or not your have this type of bacteria in your vagina or rectum.
During this test, your doctor will swab your vagina and rectum with a large Q-tip and send the swab to the lab to be analyzed. If the test comes back positive (meaning that you do have GBS bacteria in your vagina or rectum), you can take antibiotics when you’re in labour to prevent your baby from becoming infected.
Non-Stress Test
A non-stress test is used to measure your baby’s heart rate, and how your baby’s heart rate changes when he/she moves. During this test, two elastic belts will be placed around your stomach to hold two sensors in place (one that records your baby’s movements and one that measures how fast your baby’s heart is beating). Depending on the reason for the test, it may be repeated every week (or more often) until your baby is born.
Typically, this test will be done if:
- your baby is overdue
- your baby appears to be small or is growing slowly
- your baby is more or less active than usual
- there is a small or a large amount of fluid around your baby
- you have high blood pressure, diabetes and/or pain in your stomach
Ultrasound
An ultrasound uses sound waves to show a picture of your baby and the placenta (the afterbirth) on a TV screen. Ultrasounds can give you and your doctor important information about your baby’s health, such as:
- how old your baby is
- how your baby is growing
- where the baby and placenta are inside your uterus
- if you are carrying more than one baby
- how different parts of the baby are growing, such as the heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys, brain and spine
Ultrasounds can be done throughout your pregnancy, but are typically done between the 16th and 20th week. During this test, your doctor or the ultrasound technician will put some jelly on your stomach and then move a handheld transducer across your stomach that will detect the sound waves that your baby makes. If an ultrasound is being done early in your pregnancy, a different kind of transducer will be gently inserted into your vagina to get a better view of your baby.
