Once you discover that you are pregnant your health care provider will want to start screening you for certain things that could complicate your pregnancy. These tests are called antenatal tests. Getting ultrasound and blood tests as well as checking for protein in your urine and blood pressure tests are standard. You will also get your weight check by some doctors, however nowadays some doctors don't check weight or put much emphasis on it as it can vary greatly and is often not an indicator of how healthy or well you are in pregnancy. Weight in pregnancy is due mostly from the baby, the rest is due to the reserves of fat that you will need to make breast milk.
Urine samples usually check for protein as too much protein in the urine is a sign of a serious pregnancy illness called pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia can cause fits that mimic epilepsy. Some of the symptoms include spots and flashing lights appearing before a woman's eyes, she will also register a blood pressure that is higher than normal.
Blood tests will detect blood group and find if you are rhesus positive or negative because when an expectant mother is found to be rhesus negative then she will require, anti D injections early in the pregnancy, especially if she's had a child before or even a miscarriage.
Blood tests also help your doctor to detect whether or not you are suffering from anemia which causes a low blood count, this is quite common in pregnancy and must be treated with iron supplements. Your blood tests will also detect whether or not you have HIV. HIV infections must be treated immediately so that it doesn't infect the child.
Mothers, especially first time ones are always nervous about antenatal testing because they are always on the edge and want to know that everything is going okay and that they are in good health to carry a baby, this is perfectly normal. Perhaps no test brings out as much anxiety and joy as those ultrasounds. The first one because you are anxious to know that your baby has implanted well and that there is a strong heartbeat. The twenty week scan will confirm whether your baby is growing normally and that the organs are in place that is why it brings so much anxiety.
Urine samples usually check for protein as too much protein in the urine is a sign of a serious pregnancy illness called pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia can cause fits that mimic epilepsy. Some of the symptoms include spots and flashing lights appearing before a woman's eyes, she will also register a blood pressure that is higher than normal.
Blood tests will detect blood group and find if you are rhesus positive or negative because when an expectant mother is found to be rhesus negative then she will require, anti D injections early in the pregnancy, especially if she's had a child before or even a miscarriage.
Blood tests also help your doctor to detect whether or not you are suffering from anemia which causes a low blood count, this is quite common in pregnancy and must be treated with iron supplements. Your blood tests will also detect whether or not you have HIV. HIV infections must be treated immediately so that it doesn't infect the child.
Mothers, especially first time ones are always nervous about antenatal testing because they are always on the edge and want to know that everything is going okay and that they are in good health to carry a baby, this is perfectly normal. Perhaps no test brings out as much anxiety and joy as those ultrasounds. The first one because you are anxious to know that your baby has implanted well and that there is a strong heartbeat. The twenty week scan will confirm whether your baby is growing normally and that the organs are in place that is why it brings so much anxiety.
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