pregnancy, breastfeeding, childbirth, homebirth

Prenatal Tests Explained





During your prenatal appointments, you will be offered various prenatal tests. Some are recommended by law, some are at your discretion.

All can be refused.

Prenatal health care is important and has been proven as such.

  • On one hand, it can only go so far, for no one can force you to eat right, exercise and live a healthy life style. So basically, no amount of prenatal care or prenatal screening can make you do what is your responsibility alone.
  • On the other hand, prenatal care can detect problems which are out of your control before they occur.



  • prenatal tests



    There are numerous tests which can - and will be - offered. Some, like regular urine testing, are very useful. Others can be useful but they may be unsafe to your baby.

    So how do you decide?

    Well, by doing what you are doing right now...becoming educated and getting the facts. You want to know what each test is for, what - if any - risks are involved, and the safety of the test to you but most of all to your unborn baby.






    Prenatal Tests

    Chorionic Villus Sampling is a prenatal test performed during the first trimester.

    Another - newer - test called Nuchal Translucency Testing is performed during the first trimester of pregnancy.

    During the second trimester, you can be offered other genetic prenatal tests:

  • Amniocentesis
  • Alpha-feto-protein - AFP also called MSAFP
  • Cordocentesis
  • Integrated Screen
  • Genetic Ultrasound



  • Towards the end of the second trimester and into the third, you will be asked to participate in a prenatal screening which test for gestational diabetes:

  • 1 hour glucose tolerance test
  • 3 hour glucose tolerance test
  • 2 hour postprandial test
  • Some states are now also recommending that you participate in a Group B Step test.

    And last but not least you will be submitted to at least one fetal ultrasound.






    Prenatal Health Care



  • Urine Tests
  • Prenatal Test of the first trimester:
  • Chorionic Villus Sampling

    Nuchal Translucency Testing

  • Genetic Prenatal Screening During the Second Trimester
  • Fetal Ultrasounds
  • The Latest Research on Ultrasounds.






    Urine Tests

    Urine offers many clues as to how well your body is functioning. Urine is formed by your kidneys. One liter of urine is the result of 1,000 liters of blood filtration. This means that a urine analysis can tell us a lot about:

  • Your kidney's function
  • Your endocrine - hormonal - system
  • And your metabolic system
  • During pregnancy, you will participate in two different types of urine testing:

    1) The first will be a sterile urine analysis performed at your first prenatal visit. This test will mainly be done to check for signs of infection.

    2) A urine dipstick test will be performed at every prenatal visit. If you have a doctor, you will asked to pee in a cup and probably will never see the dipstick. Most midwives however involve you in your prenatal health care and you will be handed the dipstick to read.

    This urine prenatal test will check for:

  • Proteins: Proteins in the urine can be a sign of toxemia - pre-eclampsia - a very serious condition which if left untreated can lead to your death as well as your baby's. But be aware that protenuria - proteins in the urine - is a late symptom of this disorder. In true toxemia, edema - retaining fluid - will precede protein in the urine - protenuria.

    In most normal, healthy individuals, there are no proteins in the urine. Traces to +2 may appear due to other factors than the dreaded pre-eclampsia:

  • Inadequate fluid intake
  • Contamination
  • A bladder infection - or UTI
  • Excessive exercise
  • Note: 3 to 5% of healthy adults have a condition that causes them to spill proteins in their urine if they stand for long periods of time - trace to +1. In this case, a dipstick test in the morning will produce no proteins.

  • Glucose also known as sugar.
    This test is used to determine if you have gestational diabetes.
    Some healthy women while pregnant will have sugar - glucose - in their urine (glucosuria). About 70% of pregnant women in fact will spill some glucose in their urine and it does not mean that they have diabetes. If glucosuria is accompanied by other symptoms and diabetes is suspected, a blood test will be ordered.
  • Ketones:
    When one is malnourished ketone bodies will appear in the urine - ketonuria. Ketonuria in non diabetics signifies reduced glucose stores. Eating proteins and high carbohydrate foods frequently throughout the day will help solve this issue.
  • Bilirubin:
    It is a sign that the liver is not functioning well and this should be investigated.
  • Note: False negatives may be seen with high ascorbic acid - a form of vitamin C - intake.

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