Prenatal tests are an important part of the prenatal care

Prenatal tests enable our Grapevine and Fort Worth obstetricians to determine whether or not you have any health conditions that put you or your baby at risk during pregnancy and delivery.

Your first prenatal visit includes many routine prenatal tests

Your first prenatal appointment with our Grapevine obstetricians is a busy one. At this appointment, we perform several prenatal tests.

• Blood work checks for anemia; identifies blood type and whether or not you have the Rh, or Rhesus factor; and checks your immune status for rubella and chicken pox.
• Urinalysis identifies signs of diabetes and urinary tract infections. During this test, we are also able to identify protein levels, which we compare to protein levels later in your pregnancy. If the levels are high later in your pregnancy, it may be a sign that you have a serious complication called preeclampsia.
• Other tests identify sexually transmitted infections (STI’s), hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS.

Our Grapevine obstetricians also perform first trimester screening and prenatal tests for genetic conditions and carrier screening. Talk with your physician about how these screening tests work and whether or not you may need them.

During the second trimester, most women will only need a glucose screening test

All pregnant women are given a glucose screening test during weeks 26 to 28. If your family and medical history has revealed risk factors for gestational diabetes, our Grapevine obstetricians may perform this test earlier in your pregnancy.

This screening test checks the glucose levels in your blood. A high glucose level may indicate gestational diabetes, a condition that must be monitored and treated for the good of mother and baby.

We routinely perform two prenatal tests during the third trimester

As you move into the last third of your pregnancy, you will need one or possibly two prenatal tests. Every woman receives a Group B streptococci (GBS) test. This test indicates whether or not GBS bacteria are present in your blood. GBS bacteria are often present even though women are unaware of it. GBS can affect your baby when you give birth. Knowing beforehand positions us to take action.

The second test our Grapevine obstetricians may administer between the 28th and 29th week is the Rh antibody test. If the initial blood work from the first prenatal visit shows that you are Rh negative, we will test to determine whether or not Rh antibodies are present in your blood. If these antibodies are not present, we will give you an Rh immunoglobulin injection that will prevent your body from creating new antibodies for the remainder of your pregnancy.

You can rely on our Grapevine obstetricians and caring staff to provide comprehensive pregnancy care

From your first prenatal visit to your delivery, our Grapevine obstetricians will provide you with expert pregnancy care. Contact us to schedule your important prenatal tests today.