Wondering what prenatal screening tests look for? While it can be overwhelming to hear about all the different ones you have to go through once you discover you're pregnant, each one is extremely important for the health of you and your baby.
Due to the growing demand for our corporate or large bookings and travel testing for COVID-19 antibody or active PCR test collection, our Prenatal Screening Services are on hold.
Once the excitement has subsided after your pregnancy has been confirmed, your doctor will outline all the different prenatal screening tests you need to have conducted. This part of the pregnancy journey can leave first-time moms-to-be a bit confused and overwhelmed. But rest assured, each and every prenatal screening test you take in Calgary has an important role to play in keeping you and your baby healthy.
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What prenatal screening looks for
The prenatal screening that's conducted by your Calgary doctor will check for numerous diseases or infections that you may unknowingly have which could seriously affect the health of your unborn baby. From STIs to blood compatibility, prenatal screening tests are critically important to protecting both you and your baby through the course of your pregnancy. Here's what the main prenatal screening tests you'll have done will look for.
Syphilis serology
Being infected with syphilis while pregnant and not getting treated for the STI has been linked to bone deformities, stillbirth, neurological impairment, and newborn death (death before 28 days of life). This test will confirm you are not infected with syphilis.
Rubella immunity
If a mother is infected with rubella during her pregnancy, her unborn baby can have serious health problems. Rubella has even been known to cause encephalitis. This test will confirm whether you're immune to the virus or have received the vaccine for it.
Varicella (chickenpox) immunity
If a pregnant woman contracts chickenpox it can cause birth defects in the baby depending on when the baby is infected with the virus. For the mother, it can lead to complications such as pneumonia. Like the rubella serology test, this prenatal screening test will determine if you are immune to the virus or have received the vaccine for it.
First-trimester screening
Your first-trimester screening test requires two blood tests and is used in combination with an ultrasound to determine your risk of carrying a baby with trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) or trisomy 21 (Down syndrome).
ABO/Rh
Used to determine if mother and baby have compatible blood types and Rh factor. If baby and mom are incompatible, the mother's immune system may perceive the baby's cells to be a foreign threat which could result in the immune system attacking those cells.
While there are further prenatal screening tests that your Calgary doctor will conduct during the first stages of your pregnancy to ensure you and baby are healthy, the above prenatal screenings are the most common and important ones that will be carried out. At times it can be overwhelming to keep track of all the tests and what they mean, but just remember that all of them have you and your baby's best interests and well-being in mind.
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