Already during pregnancy there are standard tests performed during each trimester, given the woman is getting her prenatal care. Side note- now that is something that should be mandatory for all pregnant women. A nice review of these tests can be found at http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp133.cfm, which is the website for the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This webpage gives a breakdown of testing for each trimester and what screening vs. diagnostic testing means. I agree that the standards should be required of the woman because it helps give the best tailored prenatal care possible. It helps doctors determine any expected complications with either mom or baby during the pregnancy, which, if known beforehand, can be treated appropriately. For example, towards the end of pregnancy a test is performed to determine if the Rh antigen is present in the mother. If the mother lacks the Rh antigen then she can make antibodies that attack the babies blood creating fetal problems. The Rh situation can become very serious and involves a couple other scenarios too, point being that if the screening hadn't been performed then a perfectly preventable tragedy wouldn't have occured. The medication needed to care for this situation would have been called upon to ensure safety for mom and baby.
On the flip side of the coin is optional testing, such as screening for Down's Syndrome or other genetic diseases. I do not feel that these tests should be routine for all woman for a couple reasons. One reason is that the anxiety and worry associated with deciding whether or not to test and then waiting on the results can create psychological, mental, and/or emotional distress for the mother and father. Something to consider would be the question "What will we do with the results?" The parents will be faced with making very tough decisions regarding termination of the pregnancy, worry during the pregnancy, and anxiety over caring for a handicapped child in their near future. Some people opt not to test because they are firm in their decision that it simply wouldn't matter one way or the other if the child had a disability. Other people are not so sure. According to the Mayo Clinic Staff, not all tests offer 100% accurracy either. So what if you are the one that gets a false positive? That could be very devastating.
A second point to consider, however, is that some woman present with a significant family or personal medical history or lifestyle. In these cases it might be highly recommended by the doctor to have some additonal testing done. At the end of the day it seems to be up to the parents though and I am ok with that. I am ok with that as long as it was an informed decision-that's the key. Those parents need to be educated on what their doctor's concerns are and what he/she sees as potential complications in their pregnancy or with the baby once born. After all points and scenarios have been taken into consideration is when the decision about whether to obtain further testing should be made.
References
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Retrieved from http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp133.cfm
The Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prenatal-testing/PR00014
Hi Heather,
ReplyDeleteYou made some very valid points. Many different people have different views on prenatal care. I personally was all about getting the care I needed right from the get go. As for some of the testing like you had mentioned some people do not get the testing for the down syndrome and some people do. I myself did just because I want to know what I may have ahead of me if for some reason the tests came back positive. Another factor that can contribute to that is the cost. It is additional for those types of tests and not all insurances cover those costs. One thing that is offered that is fairly new is the 4-d ultrasound where you can see an almost exact image of what your baby is going to look like. They are really really neat but they too are additional and not covered by the insurance since they are not something needed as routine care and not all people may want to dish out the extra 175 or whatever the current fees are. It is good to know what treatment and tests are available and what each test is for so when the time comes you can make the decision as to if you would like to do some of them all of them.
Melissa V.
Hi Heather,
ReplyDeleteRoutine testing is something that should be mandatory to a point. Mothers should definitely have the option to test for down syndrome and other birth defects if they so chose. I think a lot of people I have spoken to would agree that once they are pregnant and have carried the baby for a a few months, it is pretty much past the point of no return. What I mean is that the test results wouldnt matter because they would have the baby regardless. Good posting!
Sara Abbasi
Hi Heather,
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your blog and agree that some expecting parents might feel hesitant about going for screenings and testing. The tough decision about terminating the pregnancy because of the possibility of having a child who will not have the opportunity to live a full life is stressful. However, regular check ups and blood work must be done to ensure the health of mother and child. I found out a few months ago that my mother had Rh Negative factors when she was pregnant with me. I thought nothing of it until I read about it in the text; I decided to do further my research on it and find out what are the chances of me having it was. I have not come to a concise answer yet, but found out some interesting information about it. If a mother has Rh Negative factors and the Father has Rh positive factors the fetus will be Rh positive. That being said it can prove dangerous for the fetus, the mothers body will produce antibodies (that are made to fight of diseases) that will attack the fetus blood cells ( it is seen as a foreign object),which could result in Anemia in the baby, miscarriage or even death of the mother. So regualr check ups and blood work is important for the welfare of unborn and the mother. I will place more of my findings on my blog feel free to read about it.
God bless and Namaste
Heather,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that certain prenatal tests should be optional based on the parents decision. They are the one's who knows their history and physical best. The physician can recommend a test and provide information about the risk and benefits to facilitate informed consent. I'm sure that the responsible parent to be will make the best decision for their unborn child, which is what it is really all about. Thank you for providing resources where new moms and dads can go to find out more about these tests.
Martinetta Victorian
Hi always love reading your blog we feel the same way about many things and you always make some really good points . there is a lot of different people out there some different places but am not from here but I really would love to always to check and see what is going on with me and the baby .
ReplyDelete