What other checks will I be offered antenatally?

You’ll be offered a range of prenatal screening and diagnostic tests that include blood tests, ultrasound scans and invasive tests such as amniocentisis.

Most moms-to-be are offered a nuchal translucency scan as part of their first trimester screen at 11-14 weeks – along with a blood test, it screens your baby for signs of Down syndrome. You’ll likely also be offered a second trimester scan at around 16-20 weeks, to check your baby’s development – his body, limbs and organs will be carefully examined to ensure that certain conditions aren’t present.

There are also several blood tests offered during pregnancy, which screen your baby for birth defects such as spina bifida. As with scans, these are screening tests, and only assess your risk of having a baby with an abnormality.

For a diagnosis, you’ll need chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis – which you’re offered will depend on how far your pregnancy has progressed. These are invasive tests, which means they literally invade your baby’s space inside the uterus to take samples of placental cells or amniotic fluid. As such they carry a small risk of miscarriage, though this depends on the skill of the doctor carrying out the procedure.

If you feel strongly that you don’t want to have any tests, this is your right, and you shouldn’t feel pressured into having them – particularly if you wouldn’t under any circumstances consider a termination. But keep in mind that having some advanced warning that your baby has an abnormality will help you prepare for taking care of him and forewarn your caregivers that he may need to be taken to the neonatal intensive care unit as soon as he’s born.

Please see prenatal tests for further information on this topic.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.