This article has the following subcategories:
Amniocentesis
What is amniocentesis?
To perform an amniocentesis test, amniotic fluid is removed from the uterus with the help of a needle. The cells from the amniotic fluid are examined for a possible chromosomal abnormality. Usually the amniocentesis takes place with a gestational age of about 16 weeks.
The procedure
The abdominal wall is disinfected before the procedure starts. Via a scan, the correct p......
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Anemia
During the first visit to the obstetrician or gynecologist, at the beginning of your pregnancy, blood is usually taken to check for a number of diseases and conditions. An element of this study is the determination of hemoglobin levels in the blood. This will be repeated later in pregnancy.
Hemoglobin is a component of your red blood cells. This pigment provides the transport of oxygen into you......
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Antibodies
At the beginning of your pregnancy you will be asked to provide a blood sample in order to test for the presence of irregular antibodies. While these antibodies are not usually present there are times such as after a blood transfusion or during a previous pregnancy when these may appear in your bloodstream although medical professionals are still not certain why this happens.
Types of irregular......
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Chorionic testing
What is a Chorionic test?
During the test, the gynecologist will take a sample of cells, called chorionic villi, from the placenta where it attaches to the uterus.
In general, between 20 and 50 milligrams of chorionic tissue are removed. This is around 1 thousandth of the total volume of tissue from which the placenta is built. The amniotic sac(containing the fetus) will not be damaged.
Alm......
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Combination test
The combination test is a study to calculate the probability of having a baby with Down syndrome. The test consists of a combination of 2 studies:
A blood test in the pregnant woman between weeks 9 and 14 of the pregnancy.
An ultrasound examination (the neck fold measurement), between weeks 11 and 14 of the pregnancy.
The blood test
For the blood test, a sample of blood is taken from......
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Group B Streptococcus
Testing for GBS isn't advisable during pregnancy, as up to 1 in 5 women are carriers.
In certain cases it may be advisable to swab for GBS; for example if a woman is admitted to hospital with premature birth markers; a nurse will take a swab from the vagina and anus, and send this off for testing. Results usually come back in 2-3 days
Group-B-streptococcus (GBS)
Streptoco......
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Hemoglobin
Anemia (anaemia) is caused by a shortage of hemoglobin. Such a shortage can be the result of a shortage of red blood cells, but it can also occur when too little hemoglobin is produced. This is often the result of an iron deficiency.
Hemoglobin is a protein that is found in the red blood cells. This protein carries oxygen through the blood. Hemoglobin is mainly formed from iron. In case of a sh......
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Neural tube defect
The neural tube is a structure in the embryo, from which the spinal cord and the ceres are formed very early in the pregnancy. In case of a defect of the neural tube, the spine or the skull is not formed correctly. This creates an open spine (spins bifida) or an open skull (anencephaly). These disorders are also often called closure defects of the neural tube.
When there is an open back, this m......
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NIPT test
What is NIPT?
NIPT is the abbreviation of 'Non-Invasive Prenatal Test'. In this test, the DNA of the unborn child is analyzed by a blood test. This can determine if the baby has Down syndrome, or the less common syndrome of Edwards and Patau. The test does not have an increased risk of miscarriage.
Other tests during pregnancy
Pregnant women have the opportunity to do a so-called comb......
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Triple test
There are two examinations that can give an idea about the chance of a child with a chromosome abnormality. These are the triple test and the neck fold measurement combination test. The triple-test is not used so often nowadays, the reliability is much less than that of the neck fold combination test. The result is also known earlier in the neck-fold combination test.
The triple test gives an i......
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Umbilical cord
If the results of other prenatal examinations are unclear, an umbilical cord test will be performed. This rarely happens and is therefore not a normal test. The umbilical cord is used only in rare blood diseases or rhesus antagonism, or when a scan has shown that the baby may have a chromosomal aberration. This test is possible from week 18-19 of pregnancy
In this study, the blood of the......
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