For birth professionals and families
The Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) is used to screen expectant mothers for gestational diabetes. Because there are no signs or symptoms of gestational diabetes, the GTT has become standard for every pregnant woman. Your glucose levels will also be monitored using the
A biophysical profile is essentially a physical examination of your baby before being born. It is composed of five markers of health which are each scored between 2 (normal) and 0 (abnormal). The markers are: Fetal breathing movements Fetal movement Fetal tone
When the amount of amniotic fluid is unusually high or low, it may signal a problem with your baby. There are two terms to become familiar with. Oligohydamnios, which means not enough amniotic fluid, is associated with a prolonged rupture of membranes,
Fetal movement counting, also known as fetal kick counting, is an easy indicator of your baby’s well-being that can be done at home. You may have it recommended to you if you have pregnancy induced hypertension or gestational diabetes. Basically, it is
Similar to the non-stress test (NST), the contraction stress test (CST) is a measure of overall well being. It is able to indicate problems earlier than a NST, but takes more time to do and costs more. While the NST is looking
A non-stress test (NST) is an evaluation of your baby’s overall health. It compares your baby’s heart rate patterns in response to movement to the generally accepted normal patterns. You will want to see accelerations, which means your baby’s heart rate increases
The ultrasound exam is a non-invasive procedure in which high-frequency sound waves are directed into your uterus and are reflected back to the receiver. It is commonly used to: confirm pregnancy detect ectopic pregnancy determine the number of babies you are carrying
Other names for the multiple marker tests: Triple Marker; Triple Screen; Double Screen; Quadruple Screen, Maternal Serum AFP Screen The Multiple Marker Screening checks for two to four of the following: AFP, HCG, Estriol (E3) and Dimeric inhibin A. Estriol is a
The Alpha-Feto Protein (AFP) Screen is a blood test to screen for neural tube and chromosomal abnormalities. It does have a high incidence of false positives and can have a false negative. AFP is produced by your baby’s liver and is present