Prenatal Testing: Things to Consider Before Taking the Plunge

So you're pregnant. Congratulations. This is just the beginning, though, and you have a long nine months ahead of you before you get to meet your precious bundle of joy. During those nine months, your doctor will be keeping tabs on you to make sure the baby is healthy and developing properly. Part of this process will include certain prenatal testing.

What Is Prenatal Testing?

Prenatal testing takes many forms. Basically, it is a way to make sure that your baby is healthy and developing correctly. Some prenatal tests check for certain defects such as chromosomal defects, genetic problems, and possible disorders.

The very first prenatal testing is standard in any pregnancy and occurs at the very first prenatal visit. It consists of a blood test, urine test, and pap smear. The blood test is to check for several things. One is for the mother's blood type and RH factor because if the mother is RH negative and the father is RH positive then the mother's antibodies might attack the fetus. It's also used to test for HIV, hepatitus B, anemia, and syphilis. The pap smear tests for STDs and signs of cervical cancer. The urine test is just to check for vitamins and a possible infection.

Who Should Consider Further Prenatal Testing?

Besides the standard test on the first visit, there are other prenatal tests offered that will be discussed later on. In general, it saves money and worry to skip these tests unless needed. The people who might consider these test are women over the age of 35, adolescents, those with a history of having babies prematurely, those who have previously had a baby with a birth defect, those who are carrying multiple babies, and those who have a history of birth defects in their family.

PAPPA Test

The PAPPA test occurs early on in pregnancy, around week 12 to 16 depending on your doctor. The test costs around $300 and most insurance companies won't cover it, so if you want it done it will likely come out of your pocket. The PAPPA test is used to test for the possibility of down syndrome in a fetus.

If there is a history of down syndrome in your family, it might be a good idea to get the test. If not, it is recommended not to. Even in modern times, there is a good chance of having a false positive and that puts all that stress and worry on you only to find the baby is clearly healthy anyway. Down syndrome is not a fatal disease, so if you're prone to worrying about things then it may be wise to reconsider having this test done.

Amniocentesis

An amniocentesis is one of the more well-known prenatal tests that occurs around 15 to 20 weeks. This test is a further test for down syndrome as well as spina bifida, anencephaly, and other inherited disorders. This test cannot tell if there is any heart defect. If there is a history of such disorders in the family, it might be a good idea to have the test done and while the accuracy of the test is good, if there is not a history of disorders it may be wise to consider opting out.

The test is certainly not for women with a large fear of needles as it is performed by inserting a large needle through the abdomen and into the uterus to extract amniotic fluid.

Also, an amniocentesis comes with its risks. The risk of miscarriage with an amniocentesis is 1 in 400. The site can also become infected and incur diseases. There is also a chance that the baby may be poked with the needle when the test is performed.

Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS)

This test can be used to detect anemia, to detect a possible RH factor problem, a thyroid condition, and other defects or disorders. PUBS is similar to an amniocentesis, except it extracts blood from the baby rather than amniotic fluid and is performed after 18 weeks. Like an amniocentesis, the risks also include miscarriage and infection, so the pros and cons need to be weighed before opting to have the test.

When It's Best To Say No To Testing

Generally, testing should be considered on a case-to-case basis. If you opt out of testing at one point, it might be wise to opt in at another if the doctor suspects something wrong with the baby. Your doctor also might recommend certain tests at some point.

The case where it is a clear-cut no to testing is if the tests will not affect anything. Oftentimes, tests are performed for parents who may consider aborting the pregnancy if something is seriously wrong with the baby, such as an illness that the baby won't be able to live with. If abortion is not an option then it might be wise to opt out of testing as most serious things can be caught on ultrasounds.

SOURCE:

http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/medical/prenatal_tests.html#