Fa t Sheet 26 | DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DURING PREGNANCY
Page of .ge ei s.edu.au Updated Septe er 5
This fa t sheet des ri es the t pes of tests a aila le duri g preg a to diag ose ertai ge ei health a d de elop e tal pro le s i the a .
I su ary
Diag osi tests look for a spe ii ge ei o diio that your a y ight e at
risk of. These types of tests a assess your a y for a hro oso e o diio or a o diio aused y a variaio i a si gle ge e
A diag osi test does ot he k every possi le physi al or i telle tual pro le
that ould afe t your a y
Pre atal diag osi tests i lude:
Ultrasou d
Chorio i villus sa pli g CVS
A io e tesis pro ou ed a - ee-o- e -tee-sis .
Preg a is usuall di ided i to three stages tri esters . The irst tri ester refers to the irst three o ths of preg a , the se o d tri ester spa s o ths four to si a d the third tri ester o ers the i al three o ths of preg a . Pre atal tests are do e i either the irst or se o d tri ester of preg a .
PRENATAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR YOUR BABY IN PREGNANCY
There are a u er of difere t tests a aila le to assess the health a d de elop e t of our a efore irth. Belo is a su ar of the difere t s ree i g tests, he the a e do e, ho relia le the are a d also hat i for aio the pro ide.
It is i porta t that ou get as u h i for aio as possi le efore a tesi g is do e. Dis ussio s regardi g pre atal tesi g opio s should e ofered to ou a d our part er i a safe a d u dersta di g e iro e t. Seeki g support at this i e a assist ou i aki g i for ed de isio s a out the future of our preg a . It is i porta t to dis uss the follo i g pre atal tesi g issues:
Ho a d he the tests are do e
The ad a tages a d disad a tages of ea h
test
A risks to ou or our a that a result
fro ea h test
A further tesi g that ight e ofered a d
hat it i ol es.
If the result of a pre atal test sho s that our a is ot de elopi g or all or ould de elop a pro le ater irth, ge ei ou selli g ill gi e
ou the opportu it to dis uss:
What the result ea s for our a a d our
fa il
The opio s a aila le at this i e su h as
further tesi g a d hat it i ol es
Your thoughts a d feeli gs to ards people
ith disa iliies
Your thoughts a d feeli gs to ards
ter i aio of preg a . TYPES OF DIAGNOSTIC TESTS First tri ester ultrasou d:
Is do e et ee - eeks of preg a
Will o ir ho a a ies there are a d
ho a eeks the preg a has
progressed
Is a i porta t step if ou are o sideri g
ha i g tesi g later i our preg a
Ma ide if ajor pro le s ith the gro th
of our a
Does ot pose a health risk to ou or our
Fa t Sheet 26 | DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DURING PREGNANCY
Page of .ge ei s.edu.au Updated Septe er 5 Figure 6. : Chorio i illus sa pli g i hi h a out - g of horio i illi are re o ed through the agi a a d er i
usuall duri g the th to th eek of preg a . The pro edure a e perfor ed either tra s-a do i all or tra s
-agi all . Sour e: Vogel, F & Motulsk , A.G. . Hu a Ge ei s d ed. Spri ger-Verlag, Berli
Chorio ic villus sa pli g CVS Figures 6. :
Is do e et ee - eeks of preg a
This test gi es a a urate result for the
o diio ei g tested for
A sa ple of the horio pla e ta is olle ted
either usi g a eedle through the a do e or a tu e through the agi a a d tested to deter i e if the a has ertai ge ei
o diio s
Depe di g o the t pe of o diio ei g
tested for, the results a take up to t o eeks to e a aila le
Less tha % of o e i ill ha e a
is arriage as a result of ha i g a CVS. A ioce tesis Figure 6. :
Is do e et ee 5- eeks of preg a
This test gi es a a urate result for the
o diio ei g tested for
A sa ple of the a ioi luid surrou di g
the a is olle ted a d tested to deter i e if the a has ertai ge ei o diio s
Depe di g o the t pe of o diio ei g
tested for, the results a take up to t o eeks to e a aila le
Less tha % of o e i ill ha e a
is arriage as a result of ha i g a a io e tesis.
Seco d tri ester ultrasou d:
Is do e et ee - eeks of preg a
Is a safe a of he ki g our a ’s gro th
a d de elop e t
I a s all u er of ases a ide if that
our a has a ge ei o diio or so e other health or de elop e tal pro le
Does ot pose a health risk to ou or our
a .
If a diag osi test result sho s that our a has a pro le , ou a d our part er ill e gi e as u h i for aio as possi le a out the o diio i ludi g the i pli aio s it ight ha e for our a ’s future health a d de elop e t. You a also dis uss hether a further tesi g
a help ou u dersta d the situaio .
You ill e gi e i e to ake a i for ed hoi e a out hether or ot ou ish ha e further tesi g a d/or o i ue our preg a or
ot.
Figure 6. : A io e tesis i hi h a ioi luid o tai i g ells fro the a is sa pled duri g the
th-th eek of preg a . Sour e: Vogel, F. & Motulsk , A.G. . Hu a Ge ei s d ed. Spri ger-Verlag, Berli .
