Blood testing offers doctors a rich array of information relating to the health of both you and your unborn baby.
Rubella (German Measles)
Having rubella or being vaccinated against it as a child makes most women already immune to it. If you are not immune while pregnant and come into contact with someone suffering from rubella, it is important to contact a doctor immediately as it can lead to serious pregnancy complications.
Hepatitis B
These tests are usually offered at your first appointment. Hepatitis B is a viral liver infection that can be caught through exposure to blood or unprotected sex. If you have Hepatitis B, your baby could become infected during delivery, although your baby being immunised immediately after the birth reduces the risk of this happening.
Syphilis This disease is very rare but still exists. As carriers can display no symptoms it could be passed on to your baby during pregnancy without your knowledge. Left untreated it could result in facial deformations and severe learning difficulties in your baby. However, it can be completely cured with antibiotics.
HIV Many women are offered an HIV test at their first appointment. If you are diagnosed as HIV positive during or before pregnancy, there is a good chance that with the correct treatment, it will not be passed on to your baby.
Glucose Tolerance Test This check for gestational diabetes takes place in the second half of the pregnancy. People with gestational diabetes are unable to regulate the levels of glucose (a form of sugar) in their blood. This can affect your baby's growth, increase its chances of having abnormalities and increase your risk of having pregnancy complications. Gestational diabetes can be kept under control once detected and disappears after birth.
AFP Test This blood test is carried out at between 11 and 15 weeks into your pregnancy and is usually offered to mums over the age of 35 where the risk of a Down's Syndrome baby is higher. The test, depending on which version is carried out, measures up to four markers in your blood: AFP (alpha fetoprotein), hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin), uE3 (oestriol) and Inhibin A. What the doctors are looking for are higher levels of hCG and inhibin A, and lower levels of AFP and uE3 in your blood which may show you're carrying a baby with Down's Syndrome.
Blood testing offers doctors a rich array of information relating to the health of both you and your unborn baby.
