Other Tests Used During Pregnancy

- X_Rays

· While many people in the general public are still concerned about exposing pregnant women to X-rays, the medical community stresses that the dose of irradiation experienced with modern X-ray equipment is very low. As such, X-rays are used for three main reasons during pregnancy:
o To check the fetus for structural abnormalities.
o To observe the size of the woman's pelvis before labor.
o To study other diseases, such as kidney disease, that are occurring at the same time as the pregnancy.

Tests for Amniotic Fluid

- In case of infection

· German measles (rubella), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and toxoplasmosis create infections that can be hazardous to the fetus. If a blood test is positive for the infection, amniocentesis or fetal blood sampling may be carried out to see if the fetus has the infection.

- In case of a blood group incompatibility

· Amniocentesis may be carried out to determine if the fetus is anemic due to a blood group incapability

- To examine lung maturity

· Amniocentesis can test for the presence of a fluid known as surfactant that helps line the lungs and prevents their collapse. If no surfactant is present in the fluid before birth, steroids will be injected to help the fetus produce surfactants and gain lung maturity.

Fetal Blood Sampling (FBS)

- Under the guidance of ultrasound, fetal blood is sampled by passing a needle through the mother's uterus and into a blood vessel of the fetus. The major advantage of this technique is that results of chromosome testing can be available in a week. The following is a list of the main reasons for having an FBS:

· The mother is having an at-risk pregnancy (she is over 35 years) that presents too far along to wait for lab results from an amniocentesis.
· An ultrasound suggests a chromosomal abnormality.
· The fetus may be suffering from a disease that needs to be diagnosed via blood test.
· The presence of an intrauterine infection, such as toxoplasmosis.
· A fetus that is significantly under-sized.
· A considerable increase or decrease in amniotic fluid volume.

Embryoscopy

- This technique involves the use of a telescopic instrument that is passed through the vagina or the abdominal wall to provide a direct view of the developing embryo. It is often used in the first three months of pregnancy to provide moving pictures of the fetus. This technique is most popular in research centers since the outer membrane must be burst in order to view the fetus and this is not yet proven to be safe.

Intrauterine Treatment

- There are different methods employed in an attempt to treat abnormalities of the fetus while it is still in the uterus. The most straightforward method involves giving drugs to the mother which will cross the placenta and reach the fetus. This method is currently used to help premature fetuses mature their lungs. Blood transfusions are also successful when carried out as an intrauterine treatment of possible blood compatibility problems. Sometimes tubes, known as shunts, are inserted into areas of the fetus, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the thorax that may suffer a buildup of fluids. The final method of treatment involves surgical operation on a fetus which requires incision of the uterus and partial removal of the fetus. This technique has been used to treat hernias of the diaphragm and for shunt insertions.

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