At your first visit, we will have our on-site phlebotomist draw blood for a complete blood count, an antibody screen, a screen for HIV, a screen for syphilis, and a screen for hepatitis. We will also do a urine culture and a test for gonorrhea and chlamydia. One of the confusing things about tests during pregnancy is: what tests are available or do we recommend to see if something is wrong or abnormal with your baby.
The questions to ask yourself are: What would I do with the results of a test if I knew it? Would a normal test give me peace of mind? Would I terminate a pregnancy because of an abnormal test? (Note: AWC does not do, recommend or refer for abortion.) Conditions that can be tested for in early pregnancy include cystic fibrosis, chromosomal abnormalities (i.e. Down's syndrome), and neural tube defects (i.e. Spina Bifida). Keep in mind that most patients are at very low risk of all theses conditions. Also, the 20 week ultrasound does pick up almost all babies with neural tube defects and even most babies with chromosomal abnormalities. Your doctor can counsel you more about these tests. Other routine tests are: a screen for gestational diabetes and a blood count at 28 weeks and a screen for the bacteria Strep at 36 weeks.
