FS26 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DURING PREGNANCY

Fa t Sheet 26 | DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DURING PREGNANCY
This fa t sheet des ri es the t pes of tests a aila le duri g preg a
a d de elop e tal pro le s i the a .
I su

to diag ose ertai ge ei health

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

Ultrasou

Chorio i

A io e

osi tests i lude:
d
villus sa pli g CVS
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
a .

.ge ei s.edu.au

Updated

Septe


Page of
er
5

Fa t Sheet 26 | DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DURING PREGNANCY
a Tra s-a do i al CVS

Tra s-vagi al CVS

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 sagi 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 5eeks 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 thth eek of preg a . Sour e: Vogel, F. & Motulsk , A.G.
. Hu a Ge ei s d ed. Spri ger-Verlag, Berli .

.ge ei s.edu.au

Updated

Septe

Page of
er
5