As any prospective parents are aware, caring for your child begins long before giving birth and becoming parents. In fact, it is medically believed that it should begin the moment you decide you want to have a child. Making sure your health is in tip-top shape may make it simpler for you to become pregnant, may make your pregnancy easier, and may set your kid on the proper path in terms of health.
Screening tests before pregnancy helps a clinician to uncover disorders that could harm her health or the health of her developing baby (foetus). It is an essential component of prenatal care since many diseases can be treated or managed to lessen the hazards to the mother’s and baby’s health if detected early.
In this Article
What is Preconception Screening & What Is Its Importance?
A seemingly healthy woman may be carrying illnesses that cause no symptoms but might have catastrophic effects if left untreated throughout pregnancy.
A woman may be unaware of whether she has ever been infected with or immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases. Screening tests for pregnancy can be utilized in this scenario to establish whether or not the lady is infected with or possesses antibodies to specific diseases (antibodies which she would have acquired due to prior infection with or vaccination against that disease).
Preconception screening tests are best performed before a woman gets pregnant because it is frequently safer to deliver vaccines or treatments for existing diseases while the woman is not pregnant (e.g. because some vaccinations present health risks to the fetus if administered during pregnancy).
Doctors advise all women to go to pregnancy testing services and have pre-conception screening tests before or during pregnancy. A doctor will need to seek the woman’s permission before taking her blood for testing. The doctor will go over the screening tests before pregnancy in detail, as well as the consequences of the results (what the woman may/must do if the test results are positive) and the sort of information that can be gathered by completing the tests.
A preconception screening allows your doctor to ensure that your body is on the right track to becoming parents. If possible, schedule a checkup with the healthcare practitioner you want to care for you during your pregnancy. A preconception screening can be done at any time, even up to a year before you intend to get pregnant.
Some medical disorders, such as depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, and being overweight, might have an impact on pregnancy and fertility (your ability to get pregnant). They can be harmed by smoking or taking illegal or pharmaceutical substances. Your doctor can assist you in managing health issues and making lifestyle adjustments to ensure that your baby is delivered healthily.
Even if you have previously had a child, you should get a preconception checkup. Your health may have improved since your last pregnancy. If you experienced difficulty with a previous pregnancy, your provider may be able to assist you to avoid it in your next pregnancy.
5 Tests Before Pregnancy
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Blood group and antibody screen
The doctor can discover the woman’s blood type by blood screening (whether she has type A, B, AB, or O). This test is not required for women who already know their blood type.
A doctor will also need to assess whether the woman’s blood type is Rh- or Rh+. Because fetuses generated by Rh- women and Rh+ men may develop hemolytic illness in the newborn, a dangerous condition that can cause brain damage and infant death, the partners of Rh- women should also have their blood type tested.
When an Rh- a woman is exposed to the blood of her Rh+ fetus, her body produces antibodies that cause the body to reject Rh+ blood. These antibodies are passed on to the fetus during pregnancy, and a newborn baby with Rh+ blood may reject its own blood after delivery. This disease can be avoided by administering immune globulin to the pregnant lady and newborn baby, which suppresses the production of antibodies against Rh+ blood.
All women should undergo antibody tests before pregnancy, in addition to their blood type. This is significant even if the woman has previously undergone a blood antibody test because antibody concentrations alter over time. A woman who has previously been vaccinated and acquired antibodies for measles, mumps, and rubella, for example, may need a booster vaccination if she has not been vaccinated in a long time, as antibody levels diminish with time. Antibody screening should be done before the woman becomes pregnant because certain vaccines are not advised for use during pregnancy due to potential concerns about their safety.
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Vaccinations
This will almost certainly be part of your preconception visit. If you intend to get pregnant, it is critical to ensure that your vaccines are up to date in order to avoid infections that could be dangerous to your pregnancy or your baby. Make sure you are up to date on your Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), Hepatitis B, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), and chickenpox vaccinations.
A flu shot can be obtained before or during pregnancy. Your companion should also have a doctor examine their shot record. If your spouse contracts chickenpox, for example, they can pass it on to you if you are unvaccinated. And if they catch an illness during the third trimester or near birth, you are taking a newborn home to a sick partner, and the infant has no immunity. The best time to confirm and obtain your vaccinations is about 3-6 months before you intend to become pregnant.
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Sexually Transmitted Infections
There are several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that might cause infertility or have an impact on your or your baby’s health during pregnancy. If you are at high risk, you may get STI tests before pregnancy and again during pregnancy.
Both chlamydia and gonorrhea are frequently misdiagnosed since many persons with these STIs have no symptoms. Both infections can induce Fallopian tube damage and pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to infertility. These STIs can potentially have an impact on your pregnancy and your kid. Chlamydia can trigger early labor, and if the infection spreads to your baby after birth, your baby may have an eye infection or pneumonia.
Gonorrhea can cause miscarriage, early rupture of membranes, and premature birth, and if passed to your newborn during delivery, it can cause eye, joint, or life-threatening blood infections. While medicines help treat chlamydia and gonorrhea, they cannot repair any damage that has already occurred.
Syphilis can also cause major health problems during pregnancy. There is an increased risk of preterm labor and fetal discomfort if identified after 20 weeks, and kids born with syphilis may suffer major health problems such as brain damage and hearing and vision loss. However, if you obtain treatment before 20 weeks, the illness is unlikely to be passed on to your kid. Syphilis, like chlamydia and gonorrhea, can be treated with medications.
Similarly, HIV can be passed on to your kid, and transmission can occur at any stage of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and breastfeeding. Early detection and treatment can help lower the chance of transmission from mother to infant. The risk is as low as one percent when combined with the therapy of the newborn within the first four to six weeks of life.
Finally, you may be checked for hepatitis B before attempting to conceive, as it can be passed on to your baby during delivery. Babies who are infected at birth can acquire chronic hepatitis B infection, which can cause lifelong health problems, but this can be avoided if the baby is immunized and given a hepatitis B immune globulin shot at birth. If you haven’t been immunized against hepatitis B, talk to your doctor about getting it—you can receive it at any time before or throughout your pregnancy.
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Genetic testing
Genetic testing before pregnancy is not required for everyone, but all those who are planning on becoming parents should be taught about genetic testing so they can make an informed decision about which option is best for them. Carrier screening, or pre-pregnancy genetic testing, is performed using a blood sample or tissue from a swab inside the cheek. The test will reveal whether you or your spouse have faulty genes linked to specific disorders, which could be passed on to your child. Your doctor may advise you to avoid testing altogether or to only test for the most prevalent inheritable conditions, such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
If you or your partner are of a given ethnicity, you may be encouraged to be screened for extra genetic testing before pregnancy since certain ethnic groups are more likely to have specific genetic disorders. A couple may want to be tested for sickle cell illness and thalassemia if they are of African descent, or for Tay-Sacs disease if they are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Some couples choose to use an enhanced carrier screening panel. Over 300 genetic illnesses will be tested for, including CF, SMA, sickle cell disease, and thalassemia.
If you and your partner test positive for a defective gene, or if one of you possesses a gene that requires only one copy (from one parent rather than both) to cause an illness, this early testing allows you to decide whether or not to pursue pregnancy. Furthermore, genetic testing before pregnancy provides you the option of undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic testing, which detects genetic problems in embryos prior to implantation. Prenatal testing is still recommended.
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Dental Checkup
Yes, you should think about your teeth before getting pregnant. During pregnancy, your body undergoes hormonal changes that might result in increased gum inflammation, sometimes known as pregnancy gingivitis. Gingivitis during pregnancy increases your vulnerability to microorganisms that cause gum disease. Gum disease has been linked to preterm birth and low birth weight, according to research. Another important reason to undergo tests before pregnancy is to decrease the amount of radiation to the child, which means no dental x-rays while pregnant unless you have a toothache. (The American Dental Association and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists both believe that taking dental X-rays during pregnancy is safe when properly shielded.) So, before you get pregnant, make sure your mouth is in good shape. You will have more time to address any issues.
Women who are planning to become pregnant should visit pregnancy testing services to undergo screening tests before they conceive. This permits the doctor to provide the woman with any essential treatments or immunizations before she becomes pregnant. Some of the tests are advised for all pregnant women, while others are just for women who are at high risk of particular diseases or problems during pregnancy.
How Do Doctors Check If You Can Get Pregnant
Now that you have learned about what tests are of critical significance before becoming parents, let us read about how do doctors check if you can get pregnant and which tests they may perform.
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Ultrasound scan
Your doctor may recommend an ultrasound scan to see if your fallopian tubes are blocked. The scan also looks for diseases such as fibroid growth in the uterus. Endometriosis, or abnormal growth of internal uterine tissues outside the uterus, is also checked for. In general, the ultrasound scan will determine whether you have an issue with your womb, ovaries, or fallopian tubes.
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Hormone testing
Your doctor may take a blood sample to check your progesterone levels. During ovulation, your body generally produces the progesterone hormone. If you have irregular periods, you can get further hormone tests. Your doctor may examine you to see if your body produces gonadotropins, which encourage the ovaries to create eggs.
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Hysterosalpingogram
This is an X-ray of your uterus and fallopian tubes. During the operation, your doctor will most likely inject a special dye into your fallopian tubes to highlight any blockages.
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Hysteroscopy
To see if you have any apparent problems affecting your womb, your doctor may implant a thin tube with a light and camera at the end (hysteroscope). Hysteroscopies allow doctors to detect fibroids or scar tissue that may be interfering with your fertility.
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Laparoscopy
If your medical team feels you have a fertility problem, they may advise you to undergo this surgical test. Through a small incision in your lower abdomen, your doctor can have a close look at your uterus. Dye is used in the fallopian tubes to identify places that may be blocked.
Conclusion
Even before attempting to conceive, there might be a series of advised testing and procedures for something as basic as confirming that the sperm has met an egg and a baby is going to be born nine months later. While the exams and screenings for immunity can be daunting, keep in mind that they are all designed to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible. When you are expecting a child, the questions and what-ifs can seem overwhelming, but your doctor can help you find answers and handle concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an ovulation test?
Women do an ovulation test to determine when in the menstrual cycle getting pregnant is most likely. The ovulation test identifies an increase in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. When these hormone levels grow, the ovary is signaled to release the egg. Women frequently utilize this at-home test to help forecast when an egg release is probable. This is the most likely time for a pregnancy to occur. These ovulation test kits are available at most drug stores.
- What are the types of tests for pregnancy?
- Pregnancy Tests at Home- The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is detected in urine and is what a home pregnancy test (HPT) checks for. The color of this hormone changes when it reacts with a chemical in the stick.
- Clinical tests for pregnancy are not always more accurate than at-home pregnancy tests. It can, however, be useful to eliminate any potential errors that could bias the test’s results.
- A blood test is performed to look for hCG in your blood. This test determines whether or not the body produces hCG. It simply indicates whether you are pregnant or not.
- An ultrasound scan can reveal a viable pregnancy inside the uterine cavity three days after a missed menstruation or 17 days after the egg was discharged from the ovary.
- What are fertility monitors?
Fertility monitors are handheld digital gadgets. They are not, however, the same as an ovulation test. They use electrolyte levels in saliva, LH levels in urine, or basal body temperature to predict ovulation. These devices can store ovulation data for multiple menstrual cycles.
