Important Prenatal Tests for all Trimesters

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We are sure that the good news of the new baby has already brought in some zeal into your relationship. Now it’s time to take the onus of keeping you and your body healthy. For that, you and your partner might have started taking doctor’s appointments and doing your research on what is to be done before the baby gets here.

If this is first time, the primary concern is that you are new to this challenge and you might not be aware about the kind of tests to be taken during your pregnancy. We are here to guide you through all the vital tests and check-ups to keep in mind during this period.

First Trimester

ROUTINE TESTS

1. Initial Blood Tests

A blood sample screening is conducted at your first pre-natal visit to the gynaecologist.

  • A complete blood count (CBC) to determine if you are suffering from Anaemia.
  • Hepatitis B – It can put your baby at risk of future liver disease, if it’s not treated.
  • Rubella (German measles) and Chicken Pox – If you aren’t immune, exposure during pregnancy can cause birth defects.

2. Thalassaemia

Thalassaemia is an inherited blood disorder. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anaemia.

It’s a must to undergo this test in order to know about your type, whether it’s Alpha or Beta or if you are a carrier or not. In case you are then your partner also needs to be tested. If both partners are carrier there is 75% chance of child being Thalassaemic.

  1. Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Tests
  • HIV – the virus that causes AIDS can cross the placenta before or during delivery and infect the fetus.
  • Syphilis – If unchecked, it can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
  • Gonorrhea and Chlamydia – If untreated, both can cause preterm delivery and eye infections in the baby.
  • Herpes – It can cause complications during delivery.

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4. Pap smear – It is a screening procedure to determine cervical cancer.

5.  Blood Pressure – During pregnancy, you might have more chances of high blood pressure. In case high blood pressure continues after 20 weeks of pregnancy, there can be complications.

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  1. Urine Tests
  • Glucose Screening – Gestational diabetes – It can increase the potential need for a caesarean section (because it can lead to the baby growing to be very large).
  • Blood and bacteria – It indicates urinary-tract infection and can lead to a kidney infection or preterm labour.
  1. Ultrasound

An ultrasound is a simple, painless procedure. A wand that uses sound waves will be placed on your belly. It is used to determine the age, rate of growth, position, and heart rate of your baby, and whether you’re carrying multiples or not.

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ADDITIONAL TESTS

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) – A genetic test showing that a person inherited one or two defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) genes. This testing can be done using blood or a sample from the mother’s womb before birth (chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis). Two positive sweat tests on different dates.

Second Trimester

Besides the basic urine and blood pressure tests, there are a few additional tests to pay heed to in your second trimester.

  1. Amniocentesis – The test is offered to women who are at the age of 35 or above. Amniotic fluid analysis detects some birth defects and genetic diseases, including some chromosome abnormalities (such as Down Syndrome) and neural tube defects.

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2. Cordocentesis – Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS) is a procedure that is used to obtain a small sample of the fetus’ blood. It is used to detect chromosome abnormalities indicating Down syndrome and blood disorders such as Anaemia and certain infections.

Third Trimester

1. Group B Streptococcus Screening – This helps to detect bacteria in your bowel, rectum, bladder, vagina, or throat since these can cause serious and potentially fatal infections in new-borns.

2. The Non-stress Test – The non-stress test (NST) measures your baby’s heart rate as it moves around. This test measures foetal heart rate patterns in women who have high-risk pregnancies, including those who have preeclampsia or diabetes.

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3. Biophysical Profile – The biophysical profile combines the non-stress test with an ultrasound. The ultrasound component measures four foetal characteristics: breathing movements, muscle tone, body movements, and the amount of amniotic fluid.

This list sums up all the tests you should undergo in each stage of your pregnancy to ensure the health of your baby and yourself.

It’s important to undergo these tests with a prenatal expert/doctor who has experience and who you are comfortable sharing your personal information with.

It’s important to know what kind of tests are performed and what the benefits/threats

We hope this helps you with all the information on what prenatal tests are needed before the baby is born. Make sure you consult your OB/GYNEC before taking any tests.

 

A Ray Of Hope For Alzheimer’s Disease

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November is Alzheimer’s Awareness month and to acknowledge this month, we want to spread awareness on how Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells might have a potential cure for this disease.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. The first signs of Alzheimer’s often include lapses in memory or struggling to find the right words. Over time, symptoms such as confusion, mood swings or memory loss develop and become increasingly severe.
Scientists have been actively engaged in research on stem cell transplants for Alzheimer’s disease patients and studies have shown some benefits. It was discovered that low doses of umbilical stem cells infused into a sample brain reduced the inflammation caused due to the plaque.

This brings us to the cessation that human umbilical cord MSCs (Mesenchymal stem cells) can bring a relief to an Alzheimer’s patient with its therapeutic components.

Here’s an info-graph that will give you insights on the current state of the disease.

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Nurture Your New Born

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You’ve experienced 9 months of pregnancy, made it through the excitement of labour and delivery and now you’re ready to embark upon a new life with your little sweetheart. You bring your little bundle of joy home and finally get some peaceful time with your baby and only one thought crosses your mind – “You are my new world from now on, I will do anything and everything to take care of you!”.

Taking care of your newborn is one of the most special and rewarding experiences of your life. You may initially feel anxious about what to do in order to give your child constant attention and care.

There is so much information to take in when you become a parent. Sometimes when we look at the bigger picture of family planning, we miss out on small and simple things that a newborn would need from a parent.

Here are some tips that will help first-time parents feel confident about caring for a new-born in no time.

  • Feeding your baby

You will have to feed your baby at least 8 to 12 times per day during the initial weeks. You may want to wake your baby if he/she has not been fed for more than 4 hours. In the beginning, mothers may want to try feeding 10-15 minutes on each breast and then adjust the time as needed. Breastfeeding should be ‘on demand’ (when your baby is hungry), which is generally every 1-3 hours. The right time to feed your baby milk and solid foods is when he/she is sitting upright and can hold his/her head up straight

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  • Baby skin care

The skin of your newborn is very sensitive and is prone to rashes. Don’t panic if you see red rashes on your baby’s body in the first few months.  Keep your baby’s skin hydrated by bathing in warm water for only three to five minutes.

Avoid letting your baby sit or play or soak for long in soapy water. Apply baby lotion or moisturizer immediately after bath while the skin is still wet, and then pat dry instead of rubbing.

  • Picture4Baby’s Learning Process

Babies in this age spend more time awake and become more curious about their parents and about objects that they see. They have a special skill called imagination!

Design the nursery full of colours with lots of space to give them an outlet to express their creativity. Give them a room that has alphabets, games, toys and plain canvas space so that they can channelize their imagination and discover themselves. A child’s imagination runs wild, and parents must encourage them to express it!

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  • Getting Dads Involved

Dads, grab the chance to bond with your little bunny. A newborn gets used to being soothed by the mother when they are sulking. If Dads take the responsibility to rock their babies to sleep and soothe their tears, they will start bonding with their babies in no time!

Besides pacifying your baby, you can also be the fun parent. Get involved with the baby by playing games and teaching them how to walk. Let your baby come closer to you with these fond gestures.

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  •  Baby Sleep

It takes a few months for your little one to adjust to his/her sleeping cycles. Give them some time to understand the difference between dawn and sunset.

When the baby is awake during the day, interact and play with him/her as much as you can. Keep the house and his room light and bright. At night keep the lights and noise level low, and don’t spend too much time talking to him/her.  An infant’s sleep pattern settles down between the 3-6 months’ mark.

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Signs Of Pregnancy

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Pregnancy tips

Missed your period? Is it a hormonal change or pregnancy?

Find out with these 7 simple signs!

  1. Morning sickness

Do you wake up in the morning feeling nauseous? This could be one of the occurring symptoms of pregnancy. This condition affects pregnant women mostly during the first trimester, about six weeks after conception. If a feeling of queasiness follows you throughout the day, it might be a good idea to see your gynaecologist as soon as you can.

2. Tickling nipples

A sudden increase in the blood supply especially in the breast area results into irritation around your nipples. One of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy, this may start within a week of fertilization

3. Faint bleeding or spotting

You may experience slight stains on your panties. They may be red, brown or even pink. Don?t be alarmed when you get it. It?s a common sign of early pregnancy.

  1. Swelling of breasts

Tender breasts and swelling around that area is also one of signs that you shouldn?t neglect. You may also experience blue veins popping out around your breasts. These changes are brought about by hormones which may make your?breasts?feel?swollen.

  1. Feeling worn-out all the time

From one person you are developing into two. ?It goes without saying that you require more food, more energy and more rest. When your body starts providing extra support and nutrition for your baby it often takes a toll on itself making you uneasy and tired all the time.

  1. Frequent urination

You may realize you are peeing almost every 10 seconds. Why is that happening? The hormones are to be blamed again. Soon after you conceive, the amount of blood in your body and its flow rises. This causes extra fluid to be processed through your kidneys and then gets collected straight into your bladder.

  1. A skipped period

A missed period is one of the definite signs of pregnancy. But this too depends from cycle to cycle. If you are always regular, and you miss a period, chances are more. However if you suffer from PCOS or have irregular periods you cannot be sure until you see a doctor.

Still a bundle of nerves? A pregnancy test will solve all your worries! :)