I Need To Have All These Routine Checks, Scans And Tests What Are They ?

Throughout your pregnancy you will need to have many checks, scans and tests, in this section we hope we will give you an understanding of what they all mean.

Blood Tests

Blood tests enable health care professionals to test for:

your blood group
any existing diseases that you could pass on to your child like HIV
problem genes such as sickle cell
Down’s syndrome
to check your immunity to rubella

Urine Tests

Urine tests enable health care professionals to test for:

infection
Protein and sugar: which could signify pre-eclampsia or diabetes

Ultrasound Scan

Ultrasound scans are used from 8-12 weeks of pregnancy. These scans enable health care professionals to:

see how your baby is developing
confirm the dates of your pregnancy and your delivery date
ensure that there are no problems
determine whether you have twins (Click on this link to read our related article about Twins)

Screening Tests

There are many types of screening tests and they are:

Nuchal Scan this is a scan which measures the fluid at the back of the babies neck to determine whether your baby has Down's syndrome
Triple/Barts test: this is done on your blood and shows the level of hormones, which identifies whether you baby has Down’s syndrome. Looks at oestriol, alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotrophin

Diagnostic Tests

These are to determine abnormality, sex and genetic make-up of your baby. These are:

Amniocentesis: A needle is inserted into the amniotic fluid and a sample is taken.
Cordocentesis: A needle is inserted into your baby’s umbilical cord and a small sample of blood is taken
Chorionic Villis sampling: A sample of your baby’s placenta via a needle.

All of the above tests run some risks to your baby, any concerns need to be discussed with your health care professional.

Regular Check Ups

Throughout the whole of your pregnancy you will have regular check ups carried out by your midwife or doctor. These check ups include:

taking your blood pressure
weighing you
listening to your baby’s heartbeat
checking your urine
feeling your stomach

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