A screening test is a procedure that is done to see if a woman or her baby might have certain problems. Remember that, this type of test does not provide a specific diagnosis. If you are talking about the second-trimester screening test, it may occur between 14 and 18 weeks. The tests which are preferred in the second trimester are mentioned below:
A more comprehensive and detailed ultrasound (a fetal anatomy survey) is used to evaluate the baby carefully from head to toe for any developmental issues.
- Blood tests
The blood test can help doctors to know if you are at increased risk of carrying a baby with Down syndrome, abdominal wall abnormalities, and neural tube defects.
second-trimester
The main thing to be noted is that a blood test has a lower detection rate for Down syndrome and other issues than a serum integrated screening test.
- Glucose screening
A glucose screening test checks for gestational diabetes. It is usually temporary and sorted out after delivery. Remember that, you can develop gestational diabetes even if you have not had diabetes before your pregnancy.
Also, if you do test positive for gestational diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing diabetes within the following 10 years, so it is important to test again after the pregnancy.
- Amniocentesis
During amniocentesis, doctors remove amniotic fluid from the uterus for testing. This fluid surrounds the baby during pregnancy. The amniocentesis test is used to detect genetic abnormalities such as Down syndrome and spina bifida. Genetic amniocentesis is usually done after week 15 of the pregnancy.
The all above tests are considered an important source of information for pregnant people.
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