Which Tests Should You Perform During Your Pregnancy?

In this article we’ll discuss the main tests that are carried out during the nine months of pregnancy as well as their importance.

Several medical examinations are carried out in order to ensure the health of the mother and the fetus.

Blood tests, ultrasounds, gynecological visits… If you’re thinking of having a baby, keep in mind that you’ll have to perform numerous tests during your pregnancy.

These tests are carried out over the entirety of the pregnancy in order to monitor the health of the mother and the fetus.

Although new medical advances have reduced the risks during pregnancy, unfortunately, there are still some things that can endanger the baby’s life.

Ideally, you should visit your doctor with your partner before you get pregnant rather than after.

The first meeting before pregnancy will allow the doctor to verify whether the future mother’s body is in optimal conditions for childbirth.

Your gynecologist’s support is essential; they’ll offer you all the assistance you need to ensure that your pregnancy will carry on healthily.

What are the tests that you should perform during pregnancy?

In order to explain the different tests that you should carry out during pregnancy, we must first divide pregnancy into three trimesters.

First trimester

During the first trimester you’ll have to carry out your first consultation as a pregnant woman. In this first consult a general description will be made.

During the first three months of your pregnancy you’ll perform your first blood tests and ultrasounds.

The first consultation will be long, since it will be used to make a comprehensive assessment of your health status.

During this prenatal diagnosis, aspects such as family and personal history, allergies and other possible complications that may arise will all be considered.

As you can see, the first visit serves to detect factors that can put the pregnancy at risk. The first controls help to detect fetal malformations.

Ultrasounds from the first trimester provide information about the baby’s development.

These are the tests that you should perform during the first trimester:

• Early biochemical evaluation (during the first consultation with your doctor).
• Urine and blood tests (one at the beginning of the trimester).
• Weight check.
• Vaginal examination.
• Blood pressure control.
• Early ultrasound (between the 6^th to 11^th week).
• Rubella test (between the 9^th and 11^th week).
• Chorionic sampling (between the 10^th and 12^th week).
• Nuchal translucency ultrasound (between the 10^th and 14^th week).
• High resolution Doppler ultrasound (One every trimester if there are risks).

“A woman who has just given birth is like a beautiful tree that is blooming”
—Peter Jackson—

Second trimester

During the second trimester, you should perform tests to detect abnormalities that may arise in the fetus.

Some of these tests are especially useful for pregnant women who are older than 35. They are also useful for women who have presented fetal abnormalities during previous births.

Here’s a list of the tests you should perform during the second trimester:

• Urine and blood tests.
• Weight check.
• Blood pressure control.
• Amniocentesis.
• Doppler ultrasound (One every trimester if there are risks).
• Triple screen (between the 14^th and 16^th week).
• Alpha-fetoprotein (between the 14^th and 16^th week).
• Cordocentesis during the 17^th week.
• Morphological ultrasound (around the 20^th week).
• The second ultrasound (around the 20^th week).
• O’Sullivan test (between the 24^th and 28^th week).

Third trimester

During this trimester you’ll have to visit your specialist frequently to perform both gynecological and biological tests.

After 37-28 weeks of pregnancy, you’ll have to carry out new gynecological exams to evaluate the cervix.

This exam will determine the cervix’s dilation, the baby’s position and the clinical characteristics of your pelvis.

During the last weeks of your pregnancy, your doctor will evaluate the conditions of the placenta and amniotic fluid to react quickly in case of abnormalities.

Now, here are the tests that you should perform during the last trimester of your pregnancy:

• Blood and urine tests (one per trimester).
• Weight check and blood pressure control during every consultation.
• Doppler ultrasound (one per trimester, if there are risks).
• Ultrasound (between the 28^th and 37^th week).
• Vaginal sampling (start after the 35^th week).
• Fetal monitoring (during the 40^th week)

The tests you should perform during your pregnancy are essential to ensure your health and that of your baby.

You have to be patient and carry out all of these exams periodically.