The exams in the first trimester of pregnancy, which must be done until 13 weeks of gestation, are important to assess the mother's health, the risk of the mother passing some diseases to the baby, identifying malformations and the risk of miscarriage.
The complete list of tests for the first trimester of pregnancy includes blood tests, ultrasound and gynecological tests, which must be performed when requested by the doctor who is monitoring the pregnancy.
Physical exam
Physical examinations of the first trimester of pregnancy are:
- Blood pressure: It must be performed in all prenatal consultations because it assesses the risk of eclampsia, which can lead to early delivery. Uterine height: With the woman lying down, the doctor or nurse places a tape measure on the abdominal region to assess the baby's growth. Weight: Performed in all consultations to assess how much the woman gets fat during pregnancy because it is not advisable to put on too much and, in the case of obese pregnant women, care is greater.
In some cases, the baby's heart can be heard beating with a specific device for this purpose. This device is available for sale in mother and baby products stores or on the internet and is marketed under the name of sonar.
Bloodtests
The obstetrician should order these tests at the first prenatal visit. The blood tests that must be done in the first trimester of pregnancy are:
- FBC: Used to check for an infection or anemia. Blood type and Rh factor: Important when the parents' Rh factor is different, when one is positive and the other is negative. VDRL: It serves to check for syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, which, if not properly treated, can lead to baby malformation or miscarriage. HIV: It serves to identify the HIV virus that causes AIDS. If the mother is properly treated, the chances of the baby becoming infected are low. Hepatitis B and C: It serves to diagnose hepatitis B and C. If the mother receives proper treatment, it prevents the baby from being infected with these viruses. Thyroid: It serves to evaluate the functioning of the thyroid, the levels of TSH, T3 and T4, because hyperthyroidism can lead to spontaneous abortion. Glucose: Used to diagnose or monitor the treatment of gestational diabetes. Toxoplasmosis: It is used to check if the mother has already had contact with the protozoan Toxoplasma gondi , which can cause malformations in the baby. If she is not immune, she should receive guidance to avoid contamination. Rubella: It is used to diagnose if the mother has rubella, as this disease can cause malformations in the baby's eyes, heart or brain and also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth. Cytomegalovirus or CMV: Used to diagnose cytomegalovirus infection, which, when not properly treated, can cause growth restriction, microcephaly, jaundice or congenital deafness in the baby.
In addition, prenatal tests can also be done to identify other sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, which can be diagnosed by examining vaginal secretions or examining urine. If there is any change in any of these tests, the doctor may request to repeat the test in the second trimester of pregnancy.
Ultrasound
The first ultrasound examination of pregnancy is a transvaginal ultrasound, which is usually performed between the 8th and 10th week of pregnancy. It serves to:
- confirm pregnancy, check if the baby is in the womb and not in the tubes, the gestation time, the baby's heart rate, if they are twins; calculate the expected date of delivery.
In the ultrasound performed at 11 weeks, it is possible to measure the nuchal translucency, which is important to assess the risk of the baby suffering from some genetic disease, such as Down's Syndrome.
Urine
Urine and urine culture tests are used to diagnose urinary tract infection, which is very common during pregnancy and which, when not properly treated, can lead to premature birth.
Gynecological examination
The gynecological examination is also performed at the first prenatal consultation.
In the gynecological examination the obstetrician will evaluate the appearance of the woman's intimate region and will perform the Pap smear, which serves to evaluate infections such as Candidiasis, vaginal inflammations and cervical cancer, which, when not properly treated, can harm the baby.
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