To do this, there are diagnostic tests you have to undergo to check every stage of development during pregnancy to determine possible complications.

Diagnostic and screening tests are both medical and laboratory procedures to identify any abnormalities.

A diagnostic test tells you if you or your baby has a particular existing health problem, while a screening test will tell you if you or your baby might develop a risk of developing a certain disorder or health problem during the course of the pregnancy.

Routine diagnostic tests are done to you during your first prenatal visit which includes:

1. Pregnancy test, although you have done this at home there is a need to do this to determine if you have an abnormally high count of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) which can be a sign of a possible case of H-Mole.
2. Complete Blood Count, this test is done to determine if you have a possible anemia that should be corrected early in pregnancy. This test will also identify a possible infection as shown by an increased white blood cell count.
3. Blood type, to determine your blood type in case the need for transfusion arises.
4. Blood Test for RH factor, Rh screening is done after a history of 3 consecutive abortions to determine the need for administration of RhoGam.
5. Urine Test, to determine a possible urinary tract infection and presence of sugar or protein that could be a sign of a health risk for diabetes or eclampsia.
6. Sonogram or Ultrasound, to determine the developing placenta’s location.
7. Oral glucose tolerance Test, to determine if you have possible diabetes.
8. Screening test for HIV, Hepatitis B and other sexually transmitted diseases which you can pass on to your baby or put the baby’s health at harm.
9. Amniocentesis or Chorionic Villus Sampling may be requested by your health provider if you are at high risk of having a baby with certain health and genetic conditions like Down ’s syndrome and Trisomy 18.

These tests are done during your first prenatal visit, but this does not mean that’s all into it.

You are just one step closer, what’s important is to visit your health provider regularly during your second and third trimester for a regular physical exam, because problems that were not there at the start may later develop as you progress with your pregnancy.

Now of course home pregnancy test kits have made sure that it is a simple procedure done in the privacy of one’s home that can accurately determine whether a pregnancy subsists or not.

Pregnancy blood tests are usually undertaken to confirm a pregnancy by detecting or measuring the presence of the hCG hormone in the blood.

A quantitative pregnancy blood test for hCG determines the level of hCG present in the blood stream whereas a qualitative test will offer a simple positive or negative result; whether a woman is pregnant or not.

Though urine tests conducted at home by the woman herself are seen as fairly accurate, they are not as accurate as pregnancy blood tests. This is because there may be a flaw in the test; it could be past its expiry date or it may be used incorrectly or at the incorrect time.

For all these reasons a urine test may show false negatives even in the presence of a pregnancy.

A blood test is more accurate than the urine test because all these possible problems are obviated and also a blood test may be able to detect even lower levels of hCG than would a urine test.

So long as the lab carrying out the pregnancy blood test follows proper protocol and technique and uses the prescribed methodology, a blood test to determine a pregnancy is more accurate than a urine test.

Other than determination of the presence or absence of a pregnancy, blood tests performed during pregnancy will also determine the following:

• A pregnancy blood test will examine what blood type a woman is and also ask what the blood group of the father is. Since the Rh factor in blood types is crucial to a pregnancy this is an important test. When the factor Rh is found to be negative in a woman’s blood type, certain treatments have to be initiated for the protection of the unborn baby from certain blood related problems.
• The pregnancy blood test will also measure a woman’s hemoglobin level, to determine whether or not she is anemic. Anemia can increase the risk of a preterm delivery and also cause a woman to feel even more tired than normal during her pregnancy. If required, iron supplements will be prescribed.
• A blood test administered during pregnancy will also look for HIV, AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases or Hepatitis B, because they may be harmful to the baby.
• The pregnancy blood test will also look for antibodies for chickenpox and Rubella. If infected with these diseases during a pregnancy, this could be very serious since it could have consequences such as birth defects in the baby.

These are just some of the routine reasons for which pregnancy blood tests are performed.

If a pregnancy is high risk, if there is the presence of infection or disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, or if it is subsequent on a miscarriage, additional blood or other tests may be prescribed.

Down’s syndrome also increases risk of developing other problems such Alzheimer’s, heart defects, leukemia, thyroid imbalances as well as respiratory and hearing difficulties. It is seen to occur in one out of 733 babies born.

A new blood test will be able to detect Down’s syndrome as early as 8 weeks gestation, researchers expressed the hope, whereas other tests to detect the disorder such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) are invasive and pose potential risks to the developing fetus.

CVS requires removing a small portion of the placenta for testing purposes, and amniocentesis involves inserting a needle in the uterus for obtaining material for analysis. Both procedures are potentially risky and increase chances of miscarriage.

However, this blood test will be safe and non invasive. The proposed blood test, which will require nothing more than a small sample from the pregnant woman, will be able to detect abnormality in the DNA of the fetus. This test will have the potential to be able to detect both Edward and Patau syndromes.

The home pregnancy test has, over the past few decades empowered women by putting this knowledge into their own hands; the better to be able to control their own destinies.

Prior to the arrival of this device, women had to wait for a doctor to perform a blood test to confirm a pregnancy.

Now this is a simple procedure that women can quickly and conveniently perform at home to get a very accurate answer to their question about pregnancy.

A home pregnancy test kit is something that detects the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine of a pregnant woman.

Elevated levels of hCG in blood or urine indicates the subsistence of the pregnancy.

However, since blood being used for a home test has obvious problems, the simple expedient of collecting a urine sample to test hCG levels is used for the home pregnancy test; which typically requires peeing on a stick so to speak.

These tests are simple to use: they require a few drops of urine, preferably collected from an early morning sample so as to offer a high concentration of hCG.

When placed on the test strip the change in color or will indicate in some other way whether a woman is pregnant or not.

The instructions are simple to follow and clearly printed on the package. The test kits do have the following limitations however:

• The home pregnancy test kits generally available will not be able to detect a pregnancy directly after conception. Most kits will tell you to wait until the first day that you would ordinarily have expected your period to carry out the test. This is because the test depends on the implantation of the embryo into the uterine wall to have been completed before it will show up positive. So when performed too early, this will yield a false negative even when conception has occurred.
• Though laboratory testing has shown a high degree of accuracy in yielding results; when in the hands of actual consumers, this accuracy is considerably reduced; some estimates put the degree of accuracy as low as 75%.
• Improper usage, very early use, or using expired home pregnancy test kits could result in false negatives or false positives as well.
• For those women who have irregular menstrual cycles and unpredictable ovulatory episodes may have inaccurate results. It is not when a woman had intercourse that decides the time of conception, but when ovulation occurred that is material. So, if a woman ovulates late, conception will be late and will not be able to be detected in home pregnancy test.

So while the home pregnancy test kit is a powerful tool not only for convenience but also privacy, it is subject to its limitations.

That first pregnancy ultrasound can be a very moving experience indeed!

What is an ultrasound? It is the transmission of high frequency sound waves through the uterus which reflect off the baby and form an image on the screen that you see.

So why are ultrasounds performed? The ultrasound is not performed just so you can have that first glimpse of your baby; it is performed for a number of very sound reasons:

• An ultrasound is a visual confirmation of the existence of a pregnancy.
• An ultrasound during pregnancy will check for the presence of multiples; whether it is a singleton or multiples[multiple pregnancy] that are conceived.
• In order to detect if there is a problem such as an ectopic pregnancy.
• For the baby’s heartbeat.
• Know exactly how far along the pregnancy is.
• If there is any abnormality in the pregnancy then to find out what that abnormality is.
• To check that the baby’s internal organs are developing well and on schedule.
• To check for risk of disorders such as down’s syndrome, spina bifida.
• To see that there is sufficient amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
• To ensure that the placenta is properly placed and of appropriate size.
• To make sure that the baby is growing and putting on weight in accordance with expectations.
• The ultrasound of later pregnancy, will show the position of the baby, whether it is in the proper head down position.

When should the first pregnancy ultrasound be carried out? An ultrasound pregnancy scan is first carried out at 7 to 8 weeks, mainly to confirm the existence of the pregnancy, check for heartbeat and that all is well and to see whether there is a singleton or twin pregnancy.

The second scan is usually performed at about 18 to 20 weeks to check for any abnormalities. The placenta’s placement and size is also checked.

At about 32 weeks the third scan is likely to be offered. This will help estimate what will be the due date and to confirm that the pregnancy is developing as expected.

The placenta’s placement and position is also verified. So long as all is as expected and baby is growing as per the required time line, there is no need for any further or more scans.

Though concerns have been raised from time to time about the safety of ultrasounds in pregnancy and their impact on the baby, no study has been able to demonstrate any problems that can be said to have occurred due to ultrasound scans. The benefits of ultrasounds seem to outweigh any perceived problems.

• So does a negative pregnancy test indicate?
• Does it always mean that a woman is not pregnant?
• Can there be a negative pregnancy test even when there is a pregnancy subsisting?
• So you are a week late but the negative pregnancy test says you are not pregnant. Whom do you believe and why would something like this happen?

These are confusing questions that we try and simplify here:

Usually speaking, a negative pregnancy test would mean that a woman is not pregnant.

However, when such a negative test is accompanied by symptoms such as a missed or late period, and tiredness, breast tenderness, needing to go the loo more often, morning sickness etc, then it is possible that there may be a pregnancy subsisting.

There are several reasons why a pregnancy test could show up negative even when there is a subsisting pregnancy:

1. One reason could be that the pregnancy test kit that you have bought is a low quality one, or a low sensitivity one. Some test kits are capable of detecting hCG levels only when they reach a certain threshold and not before. So either one’s hCG levels have hot reached that level yet or the brand is a less sensitive one; typically one that asks you to wait until the first day that you would have missed your period.
2. The test may have been taken at a time when the hCG levels of a woman’s urine sample are not at their highest and therefore may yield a false negative. It is important to perform the test using the first morning urine sample when the level of hCG in the urine are their most concentrated.
3. Sometimes a negative pregnancy test could result from a faulty or expired test kit. Always check to see that a test kit is not past its expiry date; beyond which its efficacy will go down.
4. It is also important to make sure that instructions for testing are followed fully. Many may say there’s nothing to peeing on a stick, but things can go wrong. Also wait for the amount of time indicated for the results to develop, don’t be in a hurry to discard the test.
5. While some women could have conceived well before the expected date of a period, others may have conceived just a few days before a period is due. In  the event, those that have conceived a little later in their cycle would have had the embryo implanted late as well and consequently their hCG levels may not be high enough to be detected by a test kit resulting in a false negative pregnancy test result.

Rule out all possible other reasons for a missed period if there is a negative pregnancy test, and remember that pregnancy tests could be negative for all these and yet other reasons.

Though they are accurate 97% of the time, there is still that 3% that we have to factor in!

If the mother is Rh negative and the baby is Rh positive, complications may arise during childbirth and the baby could develop Rh disease, which is a life-threatening condition causing anemia or other serious problems. The antibody screen test may also be performed for those women who are Rh negative.

Additionally the injection of a blood product (Rh immune globulin) may be administered to prevent your body from producing Rh antibodies during your pregnancy.

If a baby is born Rh negative, there is no problem, but if the baby is born Rh positive, another such injection will be given.

It will also be given in case of miscarriage, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, bleeding during pregnancy, blunt trauma to the abdomen during pregnancy, and rotation of a baby in breech position before labor.

Source: Mayoclinic

In the study, pregnant monkeys were examined, some of whom had mild influenza and some of whom were fully healthy. At birth all the baby monkeys appeared to be perfectly healthy and their birth weight normal as well. Their size at birth was normal as well as with normal behavioral and neuromotor activity.

However, when done a year later, differences were seen in the brains of those babies whose mothers had flu and those whose mothers had not.

The brains of those monkeys whose mother had the flu were noticeably smaller and had reduced areas of white and grey matter.

The changes that were seen in the flu group were similar to those observed in patients with schizophrenia.

Though the findings do not apply directly to humans, the researchers suggest that having a flu shot may prevent flu which in turn may prevent possible brain damage of the child.

Source: Examiner

According to the March of Dimes, at the age of 25, a healthy woman’s risk of having a baby with Down’s syndrome is one in 1250. By the time she is 40 this risk climbs to one in 100.

Though screening tests are available, many women choose not to take them since false positive results can be the outcome and secondly many women, even if they find that there is something, they may choose not to terminate the pregnancy.

Tests that are routinely offered to all pregnant women regardless of their age, are:

• Screening for Down’s Syndrome. This includes testing for other chromosomal abnormalities as well.  Here blood tests evaluate a mother’s risk of having a baby with birth defects of certain kinds. The risk of downs is also measured during ultrasound: it is detected because the skin at the back of the neck is thicker among downs babies.
• Amniocentesis or testing of the amniotic fluid is another test offered, however this is thought to carry slight risk of miscarriage.

Source: pennlive

The modern pregnancy test has made it a simple matter to confirm a pregnancy by the simple expedient of peeing on a stick.

The test device works by detecting the presence of HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood or urine of a pregnant woman. The lateral low technology is used for this and if the test is positive, the urine usually changes color and a colored line shows up in the testing strip area.

The home pregnancy testing kit is very reliable and one study showed that when used by experienced technicians, it had an accuracy level of over 97%, the same professional laboratory testing in terms of accuracy.

In the hand of consumer, however, the accuracy of the test was shown to be about 75% only. This goes to show that they may be a high level of users who do not use the testing device properly or as instructed.

This gives rise to a false positive pregnancy test and equally as well work the other way around; by throwing up a false negative. Improper use and failure to follow instructions is a big reason why a false positive pregnancy test may show up.

Sometimes a particular constituent of one’s urine can give rise to an evaporation line which could be mistaken for a positive result in a test kit. In this case, testing should be done again in a few days to get the correct result.

In rare cases, the testing kit itself may have some anomaly or manufacturing defect or sometimes the expiry date may have passed. So be sure to check the date of manufacture on the package and also the date of expiration because an expired product may not give you correct results.

Certain medications may increase levels of the HCG hormone in the body and may therefore result in a false positive pregnancy test.

Understand that a false positive pregnancy may result from a number of different factors as stated above and also other possible reasons. So it is important to follow instructions fully and correctly.

Make sure that the brand you buy is good quality and well within the date of expiry. Also do not depend on the home test entirely, have the findings confirmed by a doctor’s test for an accurate result.