Antenatal Screening During Your Pregnancy
Ultrasound
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Every pregnant woman is offered a routine scan on her first visit to the Antenatal Clinic to date the pregnancy and confirm viability. A second routine scan is performed at 20 weeks gestation for the exclusion of fetal anomalies and further scans are performed as clinically required.
The service is provided in the main department and five modern machines are available, providing two dimensional real-time imaging with doppler or colour flow doppler when required. Routine scanning is carried out by experienced Ultrasonographers with the immediate availability of medical backup from the Consultant in Fetal Medicine, Consultant Obstetrician or Consultant Radiologist. The department works closely with the Fetal Centre and is involved in the referral work from other parts of the Mersey Region, North Wales and North West Region.
Weight
You will be weighed at your booking appointment. A woman is expected to put on between 10 - 12.5 kg in pregnancy, most of it after the 20th week. This is due to the baby growing.
Urine testing
You will be asked to provide a sample of urine at each visit. This is to check a number of things:
- Sugar- some women have sugar detected in their urine from time to time. If found repeatedly you will be checked for diabetes. Some women develop gestational diabetes, which can be controlled throughout the pregnancy and often disappears once your baby is born
- Protein- in your urine may show that there is an infection, which needs and can be treated. It may also be a sign of Pregnancy -Induced Hypertension (pre-clampsia)
Blood pressure
Your blood pressure will be checked at every visit. This is because a rise in blood pressure in the later stages of pregnancy could be a sign of pre-clampsia.
Blood tests
You will be offered several blood tests at your booking appointment which will check:
- Your blood group- whether your blood is rhesus positive or negative. A few mothers are rhesus negative, usually this is not a worry in your first pregnancy. If you have rhesus negative blood your Midwife or doctor will provide you with information to enable you to make an informed choice about routine antenatal Anti -D prophylaxis . You will then be offered an injection called Anti D in the 28th and 34th week of your pregnancy and after the birth of your baby. This is to protect any future babies you may have against rhesus disease
- Whether or not you are anaemic. If you are you will be given iron and folic acid tablets as anaemia makes you very tired and less able to cope with losing blood during labour
- Your immunity to rubella. If you get rubella ( German Measles) during your pregnancy it can seriously damage your unborn baby. The blood test will tell the midwife if you are immune or not. If you are not and come into contact with Rubella you must inform your midwife as a blood test can be performed to see if you have been infected or not
- For syphilis. It is vital to detect and treat any woman who has this infection as early as possible
- For hepatitis B. This is a virus which causes liver disease and may infect your baby if you are a carrier of the virus or infected during your pregnancy. Your baby can be immunised at birth to prevent infection so you will be offered a test if you think you are at risk
- HIV. If you think you may have been at risk of getting HIV you will be offered the opportunity to discuss HIV testing and counselling. There are steps that can be taken to reduce risks to your baby and to help you and your partner too
- Sickle cell disease and Thalassaemia. Sickle cell disease is a blood condition that mainly affects people of African, West Indian, Indian, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origins. Thalassaemia, another blood condition, mainly affects people of Mediterranean and Asian origin. If you, you partner or your parents originate from these areas you will be offered a blood test to detect whether you are a carrier
Cervical smear
You will be offered a cervical smear if you have not already had one in the last 3 years. The test detects early changes in the cervix, which could later lead to cancer if left untreated.
Herpes
If you or your partner have ever had genital herpes or you get your first attack of genital blisters or ulcers during your pregnancy your must let your midwife or doctor know. Herpes can be very dangerous for your newborn baby and he or she may need treatment.
