| Antenatal blood tests
Blood tests are a standard part of your antenatal care. During your first
antenatal visit, your doctor or midwife will order a battery of blood tests to
test for the following:
| Blood type |
Necessary in the event of a blood transfusion being
needed during pregnancy or labour. Blood types are distinguished by a
letter - type O, type A, type B, and type AB and are either Rh-negative or
Rh-positive. |
| Rh factor |
This test identifies whether your red blood cells have the Rhesus (Rh)
factor. Rh incompatibility can develop when the mother, having a Rh–negative
blood type and the father, having a Rh-positive blood type produce a
foetus whose blood type is Rh-positive in which case the mother’s body
may react to the baby's blood by producing antibodies against the baby’s
Rh-factor.
This is usually not a problem during the first pregnancy. However, during
the delivery of the placenta, there is a great risk that the mother comes
into contact with the baby’s blood which sensitises her to the
production of antibodies. If this is not prevented by anti-Rh-factor
injections right after birth, it could potentially kill the next baby
during a subsequent pregnancy.
|
| Haemoglobin level |
This test will look for signs of anaemia, meaning that the mother has too
little haemoglobin in her red blood cells. If the mother is anaemic, she
will be advised to take an iron supplement and eat more iron rich foods.
The results of the test will help the doctor or midwife decide whether her
level of fatigue is normal or if the mother has an iron deficiency
(fatigue is a symptom of both anaemia and pregnancy).
|
| Syphilis |
This is a sexually transmitted disease, which can be detected with a
blood test and, if not treated during your pregnancy, could cause
congenital and developmental abnormalities of the baby.
|
| HIV |
This is the abbreviation for “human immunodeficiency virus”, which
causes Aids. A blood test is used to check whether the expectant mother is
infected with HIV.
|
| Urine test |
The urine is tested for protein, sugar and blood to identify any already
existing illness or whether a pregnancy related disease is developing.
This urine test is done at every antenatal visit. If sugar is found in the
urine (glycosuria), this may indicate diabetes and a random blood glucose
test is done for further evaluation. Additionally, a midstream specimen of
urine can be collected and examined at the laboratory for asymptomatic
bacteriuria, meaning that an underlying bladder infection may be present
without the expectant mother having any symptoms.
|
| German measles (Rubella) |
Most pregnant women are immune to German measles because they have either
received a vaccination or had the disease during childhood. If the tests
prove that this is not the case, the mother will be advised to avoid
anyone who has the infection. Contracting German measles during your
pregnancy could cause severe birth defects in your baby such as blindness,
deafness or heart problems.
|
| Other |
According to the medical history, the mother may also be tested for other
conditions such as:
Sickle
cell disease, Tay-Sachs disease, toxoplamosis (an infection spread through
cat faeces), and Hepatitis B and C. By identifying the conditions early in
pregnancy, the medical practitioner or midwife can be alerted to any
problems from the very beginning of the pregnancy. |
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