What You Must Know About Prenatal Screening and Testing

Millions of women around the globe experience great joy in discovering that they are pregnant. Pregnancy and childbirth are two of life's incredible phenomena where one can plainly see the hand of God at work. Though this time in life is meant to be enjoyable, the journey often doesn't come without bumps and bruises along the way.

There are a number of screenings and tests that are offered shortly after the routine prenatal exams get underway. These may involve blood testing, ultrasound, insertion of mini cameras in the abdomen to see inside the uterus, samples of amniotic fluid, fetal tissue, or umbilical cord blood. Medical professionals rely on the results to predict the probability of a child being born with birth defects. While prenatal tests have proven to be beneficial for many pregnant women, a significant number of "false positive" results have caused great amounts of unnecessary stress. Furthermore, there are a small number of pregnant women who may lose their babies due to complications with prenatal testing. For these reasons, it is so important to be educated about the pros and cons of prenatal screenings and tests so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not they're right for you.

What is the difference between prenatal screening tests and prenatal diagnostic tests?

Great question! I understand that this medical jargon can be a bit confusing at times. Well, the prenatal screening tests are intended to screen and identify pregnant women who have a greater-than-average risk of birthing a child with serious health problems and/or birth defects. These women are typically considered to be of "advanced maternal age", which is 35 and older. Prenatal diagnostic tests are performed on pregnant women, whose screening was positive, to determine whether or not there really is a health problem with the child.

What are the Pros and Cons of Testing?

Pros

~ Relieves anxiety, in many cases, because the tests may indicate that the baby is in great health.

~ Ability to receive appropriate medical care prior to and after delivery of baby. There are certain conditions that may be treated while the baby is still in the womb, i.e. need for a blood transfusion due to Rh incompatibility issues. If a problem with the baby is detected prior to delivery, the parents and medical professionals will have time to make the proper delivery decisions (vaginal vs. cesarean). Also, there will be time to ensure that parents give birth in a hospital with first-rate neonatal care facilities.

~ Time to prepare emotionally, physically, and spiritually to deliver a baby with birth defects.

Cons

~ Depending on your insurance coverage, you may be required to pay significant out-of-pocket expenses for some of the tests; especially those that may not be deemed "medically necessary".

~ The fact that there are many unknowns. Prenatal tests are only designed to detect a limited number of problems, and no test can guarantee that you'll deliver a perfectly healthy baby.

~ One test may lead to another, and another, and yet another! This merry-go-round effect typically occurs when the pregnant woman tests positive on a screening, thus needing to have a series of follow-up tests (that can be more invasive and harmful to the fetus) in attempt to pinpoint the problem. Even after all of this is said and done, it is still very possible for the woman to give birth to a healthy baby.

~ Pressure to abort the baby. Back in the day, so to speak, women didn't have all of the high-tech medical equipment and procedures that are offered today. They just hoped and prayed for a healthy baby, and it was what it was. Nowadays, if there is a problem detected with the baby, it is more likely that the parent(s) will feel coaxed by family, friends, or medical professionals to abort the baby. Which leads me to the next segment...

The Moral Dilemma

I'm sure there are people who ask questions like: "Well, what about the quality of life that child will have?" "What did I do to deserve this?" "How will we afford to care for a "sick" or "handicapped" child?" "Don't I have a right to have a perfect baby?" "Why should I bring a baby into this world so it can spend the rest of its life in misery?" "Can I handle raising a disabled child?" If God allows a child to be born, with or without abnormalities, there is a divine purpose his or her life. There is an incredible story about Jesus healing a man born blind found in John 9. It is a must read, if you're not already familiar with the text. The main point that I'd like to draw out of this illustration is that this man was born blind so that the work of God might be displayed in his life (see verse 3, but please read the entire chapter for optimal understanding). Just imagine how many lives were changed through this man's testimony. You see, our infirmities may not always be because of something we deserve or something we did or didn't do. They could very well occur in our lives to help, encourage, and or give hope to someone else. God definitely knows how much we can bear; therefore, if He brings us to a situation, He'll always see us through the situation.

Today, there are countless numbers of people who have beaten the odds and have lived successfully with disabilities since birth. Many have impacted the lives of others all around the globe. Their testimonies of courage and perseverance offer hope, strength, and increased faith that they, too, can overcome adversity. One ought to think twice before usurping the authority of God Almighty in order to fulfill selfish desires.

Final thoughts

So, while prenatal screening and testing may give you a head's up on the health of your unborn child, make sure you are knowledgeable about the particulars of each test. Know that you also have a right to refuse non-routine and invasive testing.

In order to help you make a more informed decision, I'm writing a series of short, yet information-packed articles on various types of prenatal screenings and tests offered to pregnant women. Be sure to check my site often to get informed. God bless you!