You will also be tested for immunity from Rubella (German Measles) as without this immunity your baby may catch an infection which can lead to heart problems or other disabilities in your baby. You will have normally gained this immunity by either having rubella in childhood, or being vaccinated at about age 11. However, if the blood test shows that you have little or no immunity in your blood, then you’ll be advised to keep well away from anybody who might have the disease.
Blood tests can also be taken to cover testing for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. With respect to the HIV test, the advantage of knowing is that you can start drug treatment and reduce the chances of your baby contracting the virus by choosing to have a caesarean and bottle rather than breast feeding. Cases of syphilis have risen in recent years, and can cause miscarriage and stillbirth. Fortunately it is still a very rare occurrence and can be treated with penicillin. Another virus that is routinely tested for is Hepatitis B, which affects the liver, and for which you can be a carrier even if you don’t exhibit any symptoms. If you are infected, your baby will be vaccinated just after birth as a counter-measure.
As your baby grows, she takes iron out of your blood to help grow her own blood, bone and muscle, and if your own iron levels in the blood fall as a consequence you may become anaemic. If this happens, you may be given iron supplements and encouraged to eat iron-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables and red meat.
One blood test that is not carried out routinely, but which you can request if you are worried, is for Toxoplasmosis which is a parasitic infection that can be present in cats’ faeces and can cause learning difficulties or eye damage in your baby. To avoid the slight risk of contacting toxoplasmosis, always use gloves if you have to handle cat litter and make sure that all fruit and vegetables are thoroughly washed and cooked through properly.
These are not the only blood tests that can be done, because there may be other family genetic reasons why further tests should be carried out for illnesses such as sickle cell anaemia and cystic fibrosis, but if in doubt always consult your doctor or midwife.
If they are not sticking needles in you, doctors and midwives also like to put a tourniquet around your arm to measure your blood pressure, because it can alter throughout your pregnancy as your blood volume increases by up to 50% during pregnancy. Generally, a healthy blood pressure is a maximum of 120/80 and changes which see the first number go above 130 and the second above 80 starts to worry doctors and midwives. This is because at levels of 140/90 pre-eclampsia becomes a danger – a problem which needs to be avoided if at all possible, otherwise labour may need to be induced.
So the next time the doctor or midwife says, ‘I just need to take a little blood’, you know it is in a good cause.
November 2006 |
