During pregnancy, several blood tests are done to identify any health issues that may cause a problem during pregnancy or after the birth. Some of the common blood tests done during pregnancy are:
Tests Done Early in Pregnancy
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Blood type and Rh factor
- Urinalysis
- Urine culture
- Screening for specific diseases and infections such as rubella, syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, varicella, and cytomegalovirus
First Trimester Screening
- A combination of fetal ultrasound and maternal blood testing to determine the risk that the fetus has certain birth defects. This test includes nuchal translucency screening, which uses an ultrasound test to check the area at the back of the fetal neck for extra fluid or thickening, and measurement of two substances found in the blood of all pregnant women
Second Trimester Prenatal Screening
- Multiple markers blood tests to provide information about the risk of having a baby with certain genetic conditions or birth defects. These tests are usually done between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy
Glucose Screening and Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Screening
- These tests are done later in pregnancy to measure the level of glucose, or sugar, in your blood and to screen for group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteria. A high blood sugar level may be a sign of gestational diabetes, which can cause problems during pregnancy
Additional testing during pregnancy may include amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), fetal monitoring, and genetic screening. Its important to talk to your doctor or midwife about the positives and negatives of antenatal tests and to follow their recommendations.
