Pregnancy

Detailed Test & Procedure Guides See All  First Trimester Screening in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides First trimester screening combines fetal ultrasound and blood tests for the mother. It’s done during the first trimester of pregnancy, during weeks 1 to 12 or 13. It can help find out the risk of the fetus having certain birth defects. ...more  Second Trimester Prenatal Screening Tests in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Screening is usually performed by taking a sample of the mother's blood between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy (16th to 18th is ideal). ...more  Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) Screening Test in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Alpha-fetoprotein screening is a blood test that measures the level of AFP in the mother's blood. Abnormal levels may indicate certain problems with the fetus. ...more  Fetal Ultrasound in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Fetal ultrasound is a test used during pregnancy to create an image of the baby in the mother's womb (uterus). ...more  Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides This prenatal test involves taking a sample of tissue from the placenta to test for chromosomal abnormalities and certain other genetic problems. ...more  Amniocentesis in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Amniocentesis is a procedure used to take out a small sample of the amniotic fluid for testing. ...more  Fetal Blood Sampling in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Fetal blood sampling is a procedure to take a small amount of blood from an unborn baby (fetus) during pregnancy. Fetal blood sampling is usually done by a perinatologist with special training. This is a doctor who specializes in the care of babies in high-risk pregnancies. ...more  Fetal Heart Monitoring in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Fetal heart rate monitoring measures the heart rate and rhythm of your baby (fetus). This lets your healthcare provider see how your baby is doing. ...more  Fetal Movement Counting in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Fetal movement counting is a way to check the health of a woman’s unborn baby (fetus). It’s often called kick counting. It’s done by counting the number of kicks you feel from your baby in the womb in a certain time period. ...more  Nonstress Testing in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides A nonstress test is a type of test done during pregnancy. It measures the heart rate of the unborn baby in response to its movements. In most cases, the heart rate of a healthy baby increases when the baby moves. ...more  Biophysical Profile in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides A biophysical profile is a test that is sometimes used during the third trimester of pregnancy. It is often done if there is a question about the baby’s health. This may be because of other test results or certain pregnancy symptoms, or because your pregnancy is high risk. ...more  Cesarean Section in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides Cesarean section or C-section is the surgical delivery of a baby through a cut (incision) made in the mother's abdomen and uterus. ...more  Episiotomy in Detailed Test & Procedure Guides An episiotomy is an incision through the area between your vaginal opening and your anus. This area is called the perineum. This procedure is done to make your vaginal opening larger for childbirth. ...more