1) Why are tests performed during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a process that begins with the development of the baby in the womb and ends with birth. During this process, various tests are performed on the expectant mother. These tests provide useful information about the course of pregnancy and the condition of the mother from the beginning of pregnancy to birth. Some of the tests to be applied are applied at certain times of pregnancy. Other tests to be performed are; It is performed in cases deemed appropriate for problems that have occurred or may occur during the pregnancy.
2) What is the first test to be performed during pregnancy?
The mother is tested during pregnancy. The first test to be applied to the candidate is to confirm the existence of pregnancy. Fertilization usually occurs in the middle of the menstrual period. Pregnancy tests become clear approximately 15 days after fertilization, if the woman's menstrual period is delayed.
3) What are the routine tests that should be done during the pregnancy?
This Although the tests may vary from person to person, they are as follows.
- Blood group determination
- Hemoglobin (blood count) to diagnose anemia
- Sugar or protein in the urine (done to diagnose diabetes during pregnancy or pregnancy-related hypertension-preeclampsia)
- Examination of infections such as hepatitis B, syphilis and HIV that may affect the mother and baby
- Rubella examination of immunity due to the disease
- These tests are applied to the expectant mother during the first examination.
4) What are the special tests that need to be done apart from these tests?
There are also various special blood tests recommended between the 3rd and 4th months of pregnancy. The levels of different chemicals present in the mother's blood can help doctors diagnose various special conditions in the baby (e.g. Down syndrome, spina bifida).
Different tests measure the levels of hormones and proteins detected in the mother's blood. As a result of different test results, a general screening emerges. Although the results obtained from screening tests do not clearly show the diseases, these conditions This gives an idea. In this way, the necessary precautions can be taken in advance.
If HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) and AFP (alpha fetoprotein) are used in screening tests, it is called a double test, if estriol is added to it, it is called a triple test, and if inhibin A is added, it is called a quadruple test. .
Double test, 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. In the week; triple or quadruple test 16-19. It is performed by taking blood from the mother during the pregnancy weeks.
5) What are the other tests that should be performed during pregnancy, apart from blood tests?
Apart from blood tests; Other methods used for diagnostic purposes during pregnancy are as follows:
Ultrasonography
Nuchal translucency measurement
Amniocentesis, cordocentesis
Chorionic villus sampling.
Ultrasonography
Ultrasonography is a practice used throughout the entire pregnancy, starting from the early stages of pregnancy, the finalization of the pregnancy, the size of the pregnancy, whether it is alive or not.
Ultrasonography is a practice used throughout the entire pregnancy period. The tests are applied in detail between the 18th and 23rd weeks of pregnancy. During these weeks of pregnancy, detailed information can be obtained about the development of the baby's organs and systems.
In this case, ultrasonography; It provides information about the rate of water in the baby, the baby's head, spine, heart, arms and legs, stomach, bladder and kidneys, and the condition and position of the placenta, which provides nutritional exchange between the mother and the baby. Most of the possible structural abnormalities in the baby can be detected by ultrasound. However, chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome are insufficient to be detected by ultrasonography.
Nuchal translucency measurement
This test is performed in the 3rd or 4th month of pregnancy. This test is a screening test for Down syndrome. The nuchal thickness of babies can be measured by ultrasonography. However, this condition cannot be diagnosed definitively with ultrasound. If this thickness is greater than it should be, amniocentesis may be required. Nuchal translucency measurement can be used for diagnostic purposes by combining it with a double test.
Amniocentesis and cordocentesis
Amniocentesis and cordocentesis are performed by checking the baby with ultrasonography and examining the fluid in which it floats. or It is applied by taking a sample from the umbilical cord. Amniocentesis is performed between 15-19 weeks. The baby's genetic research is carried out by producing the baby's cells from the skin cells present in the fluid.
This method is recommended for expectant mothers who have had risky results in screening tests, women who have become pregnant at an older age, or people who have a risk of genetic disorders in the baby. Cordocentesis is performed between 18-22 weeks of pregnancy. can be done within weeks.
Chorion villus sampling
This sampling is performed in the 2nd or 3rd month of pregnancy. Test results are not as clear as amniocentesis. In this test, sampling is done from the placenta itself, which exchanges nutrients between the mother and the baby.
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