Medical Tests

There are a number of tests you may take throughout your pregnancy to ensure that all is well for you and your baby. The tests you take will depend on your age and your pregnancy history. A number of these test can also help you determine the gender of your baby.

An ultrasound will probably be one of the first performed to confirm your pregnancy. In particular, 3D ultrasounds offer especially high quality imaging. This type of ultrasound provides a particularly candid glimpse into the life of your growing baby. But after the ultrasound, how do you know which tests you should have?

There are some tests that all mothers will be offered, like glucose screening and alpha-fetoprotein. Tests for things like cystic fibrosis are only performed if you have a family history of the disease.

Other tests, like chorionic villus screening and amniocentesis are more commonly offered to pregnant women over the age of 35. After having an amniocentesis test, some women may be recommended for further testing involving fetal blood sampling. Women can confirm the true father of their baby by opting for paternity testing. This can be done as early as the tenth week of pregnancy.

Combined first-trimester screening is a new test that has only started being offered to pregnant women. Performed in the first trimester, this test is safer and more accurate than many other prenatal screening tests.

Your medical practitioner and/or genetic counselor will advise you on which tests would be most beneficial. Because all of these tests have positive and negative aspects, it is important to be informed about them. Be sure to read about all of them so you can decide what you want to be tested for.

Have a question about prenatal tests? Get some advice from other women in the forum