Antenatal Screening Tests and Scans in Pregnancy
Antenatal Care – what’s it all about?
The main point of antenatal care is to check that you and the baby are well throughout pregnancy. The choice of tests on offer can be quite bewildering to a newly pregnant mum. Here we explain what most hospitals will usually offer you, though there can be more tests if there is concern about you or your baby’s wellbeing. It is for you to decide which of the tests on offer you would like to have and which you may choose to decline. Local hospitals may vary slightly in which tests they offer but the following are usually offered:
The Nuchal Translucency or NT scan between 11 – 13 weeks This scan is also used to calculate when baby is due if you are unsure of the date of your last period. The scan will be done in your local maternity unit and it is thrilling for mums and dads to-be to actually see their tiny baby on screen!The space behind the baby’s head is measured and based on your age and history, you will be told if the baby is at low or high risk of having any abnormalities. The midwife can explain the results to you if you are unsure. If there is a high risk of problems, you will be offered an amniocentesis.
Amniocentesis at around 16 weeksThis is only done if it is thought that there is a high chance of the baby having problems.A small amount of the water from around the baby is taken via a very fine needle through your belly into the womb by a skilled obstetrician. The fluid can be tested to see if the baby has any syndromes such as Downs. It usually takes about 10 days to get the results. It is highly accurate but no test can be guaranteed to be 100% accurate. There is a very small risk of miscarriage following the procedure so it is best to rest for the day.
Anomaly scan at around 20 weeksThis is a detailed scan of your baby, checking the heart, kidneys, face and so on.Your baby is well developed now and you can buy the scan pictures to take home and put in the album or put in a frame. Now you can really see that there is a baby in there! Some hospitals will tell you the sex of your baby but not all. In hospitals that do tell you the sex you will be asked if you want to know or not. Some people prefer to have a surprise when the baby is born.
Blood pressure and urine checksYour midwife will check your blood pressure and urine at every appointment.If your blood pressure goes unusually high and/or if protein is found in your urine, you will be advised to go to the antenatal ward at your hospital where you will be checked for a condition called pre-eclampsia. This can be mild and you will be checked carefully throughout pregnancy and given medication if need be. Occasionally the condition can become severe and make mother and baby extremely unwell. In this case, baby would be delivered by caesarian as once the baby is born, the condition starts to improve. No-one is exactly sure what causes it but checking that you do not have it is a very important part of antenatal care.The midwife can also get urine checked to make sure you do not have a urine infection. This is not uncommon in pregnancy and can give you pain and make you feel unwell. A short course of antibiotics from your doctor will clear this up
Baby’s heartbeat Your midwife will listen to baby’s heartbeat at every appointment from about 14 weeks of pregnancy. A small hand-held machine called a Doppler can pick up the tiny heartbeat and you will be able to hear it too. Babies’ hearts beat nearly twice as fast as adults as they have so much growing to do. The rate the heart is beating at can indicate whether your baby is well or not. Later in pregnancy (from about 30weeks) you will be asked to let the midwife know if your baby is moving less than usual. If so, you will be advised to go into hospital for a more thorough check to make sure that baby is OK. Most antenatal checks are done by the midwife at the doctors’ surgery or in your local hospital. In some areas the midwife may offer to do your check at home. If you choose to have an independent midwife, all your antenatal care will be in your own home at a time of your choice, including evenings or weekends. So now you’ve had all your antenatal care, the next thing is going into labour. And that’s another story...