Your Lab Tests
Your Lab Tests
Lab tests are used to make sure that your health is fine and that your baby is developing normally. Many of these lab tests will be performed during your pregnancy.
Blood tests
These provide important information about your health and your baby's health.Urine sample
You will be asked to provide a urine sample at every visit. It will be checked to make sure you have no infection and that your sugar and protein levels are normal.Blood pressure
Your blood pressure will be checked at every visit because high blood pressure during pregnancy can cause complications.Triple screen
If there is a chance you may have a genetic problem you could pass on to your baby, your provider will offer you a triple screen test when you are between 15 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. This test can identify problems with your unborn baby's nervous system or find out if your baby might have Down Syndrome, which causes mental retardation.Glucose screening
This test, which finds out if you are developing diabetes during your pregnancy, takes about one hour and will be performed around your 26th 28th week of pregnancy. You may need to have it performed earlier if members of your family have sugar diabetes, if you developed diabetes during another pregnancy or if you are overweight.HIV
This test determines whether or not you are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Every pregnant woman is encouraged to have this test, but you need to agree to have it done.Group B strep screening test
This test is done around your 36th 37th week of pregnancy. Your vagina and rectal areas will be swabbed to check for bacteria that can infect you and your baby. If you have this bacteria, you will be offered antibiotics during labor.Ultrasound
This is a test that uses sound waves to produce a picture of the baby in a mother's womb. Ultrasound usually is done between week 14 and 16 of your pregnancy in order to:- Find out when your baby is due
- Check to see if you have bleeding or other problems
- See if your baby is growing and developing normally
- Find the position of the placenta, which is a structure in the womb that provides the baby with nourishment
