Pregnancy check-up items

Many pregnant mothers do not know what kind of examinations they should do during pregnancy. Pregnancy examinations are beneficial for both pregnant women and babies, because they can see the baby's development level and also know the physical condition of the pregnant mother, so pregnancy examinations are very important. Both expectant fathers and expectant mothers should know what examinations they should do during pregnancy.

Pregnancy checkups are actually relatively simple and not too complicated. Just like the B-ultrasound we often talk about, it is one of them. The process is very simple, but it can tell you a lot of information about the baby and the expectant mother. Such inspection is mandatory.

Homework to do during pregnancy checkup

1. B-ultrasound, intuitive monitoring of the baby's development

Normally, the best time to undergo this examination is between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, when most possible problems with the fetus can be identified. It can see the fetal body, head, fetal heartbeat, placenta, wool and umbilical cord, etc. It can find out whether the fetus is alive, whether it is a multiple birth, and even determine whether the fetus is deformed.

Usually the first time is between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, at which time it can be determined whether the pregnancy is single or multiple, and the fetal head circumference can be measured.

The second time is between 28 and 30 weeks of pregnancy, during which time we can learn about the development of the fetus, whether there are any surface deformities, and further understand the position of the fetus and the amount of amniotic fluid.

The third time is at 37-38 weeks of pregnancy. The purpose at this time is to determine the fetal position, fetal size, placental maturity, whether the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck, etc., to conduct a final evaluation before delivery.

2. Down syndrome screening to eliminate congenital defects

Down syndrome screening is a simple, economical, and non-destructive method to identify pregnant women at high risk of carrying a fetus with congenital idiocy. Down syndrome is one of the main causes of severe congenital intellectual disability, and every pregnant woman has the potential to give birth to a child with Down syndrome. The chance of having a baby with Down syndrome increases with the age of the pregnant woman.

You will have a test between weeks 14 and 20 of your pregnancy. The doctor will draw serum from the pregnant woman and test the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein and chorionic villus hormone in the maternal serum. Based on the pregnant woman's due date, age and gestational age at the time of blood collection, the risk factor of having a child with Down syndrome will be calculated. Higher levels of alpha-fetoprotein are associated with open neural tube defects. When women are 35 years old or older, this test can detect about 80% of fetuses with Down syndrome, trisomy 18, and neural tube defects.

3. Blood sugar monitoring to avoid the danger of high blood sugar

Due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, there is an increased chance that a woman may develop or develop diabetes. High blood sugar levels during pregnancy can cause the fetus to be too large. Full-term macrosomic babies must be delivered by caesarean section. Diabetes may also cause stillbirth or malformations. If detected early, diabetes can be easily controlled through diet or insulin injections. At 24-28 weeks, you will have a diabetes screening test. The doctor will ask you to drink sugar water containing 50 grams of glucose, and then draw blood one hour after drinking it to test the blood sugar level.

Note:

(1) Eat a normal diet 3 days before blood test for glucose screening. No need to diet to avoid affecting the test results.

(2) Start counting the time for one hour after drinking the glucose water, then draw blood. You can eat only after the venous blood is drawn.

Check results:

If it is ≥7.8 mmol/L (or 140 mg/dL), it means the screening is positive and a further 75 g or 100 g glucose tolerance test is required to determine whether gestational diabetes is present.

Through this article, we have introduced the pregnancy check-up items. Pregnant mothers-to-be should know how to take good care of their own bodies. Also, the relatives of pregnant women should pay more attention to the physical condition of pregnant women. If there are any abnormalities, they should be checked in time. This is very protective for both pregnant women and babies. I hope everyone can know this.