Common Screening Tests During Pregnancy

Discuss the most common screening test and diagnostics used throughout pregnancy and the purpose of the tests. When during pregnancy are tests performed and what is the protocol when an abnormal test or diagnostic is found?

Health care provider may recommend a variety of screenings, tests and imaging techniques during a pregnancy. These tests are designed to provide information about the health of your baby and may help you optimize your child’s prenatal care and development (American Pregnancy Association, 2018). Genetic screening can help diagnose the potential for certain genetic disorders before birth. First-trimester screening is a combination of fetal ultrasound and maternal blood testing. This screening process can help determine the risk of the fetus having certain birth defects. Second trimester prenatal screening may include several blood tests called multiple markers. These markers provide information about the risk of having a baby with certain genetic conditions or birth defects. The ultrasounds can be performed at different times during the pregnancy to check for fetal growth, estimate the due date and look for any structural abnormalities in the baby. Additional testing during pregnancy may include amniocentesis, chronic villus, sample (CVS) and fetal monitoring glucose testing and Group B strep culture. Many genetic abnormalities can be diagnosed before birth (American Pregnancy Association, 2018) . Therefore, the PCP or midwife may recommend genetic testing during pregnancy in case there is a family history of genetic disorders. other reason may also be to have genetic screening when the fetus or baby has a genetic abnormality.

Depending on the situation if an abnormal screening test comes the patient should be aware of and counsel the risk of having the baby and the percentage of survival of the fetus. It will be up to the parents of the unborn child to decide whether they should continue with the pregnancy. I have seen a patient who was advised to end the pregnancy because of the high risk of the death of the mother. depending on the situation, some parents may choose to abort the baby.  for example, this who recently found that she was 8—9 weeks pregnant via ultrasound for the fifth time, the patient who had 3 c sections 4 living children and was pregnant for the fifth her last baby was 10 months old. The physician had to explain the high risk of having a hysterectomy right after given birth and risk of bleeding to death.