Prenatal Screening Baltimore MD

A wide range of prenatal screening is available, and it’s important to know what the testing procedure involves, what the risks are (if any), what the test is screening for, and how the results of the test might affect your medical care or decisions.

The first screening test is typically a urine pregnancy test performed at home. This test measures a hormone called hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) that that your pregnant body produces. The quantity of this hormone in your blood and urine rises steadily throughout the first trimester. A positive result will likely lead you to seek medical care.

At your first prenatal appointment, a variety of screening tests are typically done. These are all considered to be routine tests, so you may not be asked whether you want them or even informed on exactly what is being tested. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if you have them.
● A quantitative hCG level, meaning the result is a number rather than simply a positive or negative like your home urine pregnancy test, will be checked. Your doctor will be able to tell how the pregnancy is progressing based on this number in relation to how far along you are in your pregnancy.
● Your Rh factor will be checked. If it is negative, you will be given an injection prior to delivery to prevent your body from making antibodies that might attack a Rh positive baby if your blood would mix.
● Your rubella immunity status will be determined. Rubella is viral infection that is fairly harmless to the person it affects, but if that person happens to be pregnant, it can cause serious birth defects. Most people are now vaccinated for this as children; it is part of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine.
● Some doctors will also check for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. If you do have HIV, your pregnancy will be treated much differently. You will be advised to start anti-retroviral medication to decrease the risk of transmitting the infection during the pregnancy. A C-section will be scheduled, so that transmission does not occur during the birth process. You will also be advised against breastfeeding to minimize the risk of transmission after birth. In most places, this is an optional test; however, the results greatly impact your pregnancy care, so it is very important to get tested if there is any chance you could have contracted it.
● Urinalysis: some doctors do this at every visit while some do it at baseline and then not again until the third trimester. It is a simple test that can show whether there is a bladder or kidney infection, whether there is protein in the urine, which is a symptom of pre-eclampsia especially if associated with high blood pressure and edema, and whether there is glucose in the urine possibly indicating gestational diabetes.
● Vaginal exam: the doctor will likely check your cervix and uterus for softness and size. If you are due for a pap, he/she will do that at the same time. It is also common to be tested for S...