Many young women, wishing to prevent complications of the process of bearing a child, begin to prepare in advance for him. Let's consider in more detail the algorithm of preparation, we will find out: what tests should be given when planning pregnancy.
Is it compulsory to take tests before pregnancy?
When asked about potential moms, whether to take tests before pregnancy, doctors respond in the affirmative. At the same time, they lead by example weighty arguments: laboratory studies help identify hidden and chronic pathological processes that may not have symptoms. During the training, doctors diagnose hormonal disorders, sexual infections that may affect the process of pregnancy, delivery, or the health of the baby.
Compulsory tests when planning pregnancy
Before conception, approximately for half a year, a woman is recommended to visit a medical institution. After a thorough examination and passing through the hardware studies, the doctor will assign a list of tests to be submitted. Among the many types of diagnostic studies can be identified those that are used more often than others:
- general urine analysis;
- general blood analysis;
- biochemistry of blood ;
- determination of the blood group and Rh factor ;
- examination for infection: hepatitis, syphilis, HIV;
- research on TORCH-infection : rubella, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, herpes virus.
Pregnancy planning - tests for women and men
To conceive, endure and give birth to a healthy child, preparation for pregnancy and examination should be done by both spouses. Comprehensive examination in the planning of pregnancy requires full detection of existing violations, their further elimination. In view of the features of the physiology of the sexes, the analyzes for the future mother differ somewhat from those that the future father will have to give.
Analyzes when planning pregnancy - a list for women
The doctor of the medical center or the woman's consultation informs the woman about what tests to hand over during the planning of pregnancy. At the same time, the list of compulsory studies at the preparatory stage looks standard for most medical institutions. Telling about what tests to take when planning pregnancy, doctors call:
- Blood test for sugar level - to diagnose diabetes or predisposition to it.
- Coagulogram - sets the rate of blood clotting in order to eliminate the risk of bleeding.
- Analysis of the smear on the flora - is conducted to assess the state of the microflora of the vagina.
- PCR-study of scraping from the neck - reveals pathologies: mycoplasmosis , chlamydia, herpes, ureaplasmosis.
As additional studies, in the presence of separate indications, the following can be appointed:
- Blood for hormones - is more often performed in women with an irregular cycle, excessive or small weight, with a suspicion of infertility.
- Analysis for antibodies to phospholipids - reveals a disease that is fraught with the development of congenital pathologies in the fetus.
- Analysis for antibodies to the chorionic gonadotropin - prescribed for women who have problems with conception, when after fertilization, antibodies to hCG reject the egg.
Analyzes for men when planning pregnancy - list
In order to find out what tests to hand over to a man when planning a pregnancy, the future father should contact a specialized medical center. The main thing in preparing a potential father for conception is the identification of all available infections and their elimination. In order to establish the inflammatory and infectious processes in the body of the future pope, the following tests are scheduled for men in the planning of pregnancy:
- PCR-study of the discharge from the urethra - helps to identify in the sample the genetic material of such pathogens as herpes, chlamydia, mycoplasmosis.
- General blood analysis.
- Blood test for hepatitis, syphilis.
If the analyzes performed did not reveal any pathologies, however, when planning pregnancy, problems with conception arose, additional tests were assigned:
- Spermogram - determines the number of sperm in the ejaculate and their morphology.
- MAR-test - reveals the presence of antisperm antibodies, which attack spermatozoa, reducing the possibility of fertilization.
Plan for pregnancy planning
The complex of analyzes in planning pregnancy may differ and depends on the patient's health, the presence of chronic diseases, complications of previous pregnancies. Because of this, with two women preparing to become mothers, the list of assigned studies may vary. However, the order of actions to be taken by a potential mother at the stage of pregnancy planning is the same:
- consultation of a district gynecologist;
- the passage of the assigned studies;
- the course of therapy (if necessary);
- implementation of recommendations received.
Hormonal tests for pregnancy planning
Analyzes before conception often include the determination of the level of hormones. Obligatory research is prescribed for those patients who previously had problems with conception or pregnancy. This analysis can be conducted at 5-7 and 21-23 days of the menstrual cycle. When it is performed in a sample of venous blood, laboratory assistants establish the concentration of the following hormones:
- prolactin;
- progesterone;
- testosterone;
- luteinizing;
- thyrotropic;
- thyroxine.
Genetic tests in pregnancy planning
Having dealt with what tests should be submitted when planning pregnancy is mandatory, we note that there are additional studies. Indications for their conduct are violations of the genetic nature of one of the parents or close relatives. These pre-conception analyzes for men are also prescribed. Among the main indications for the conduct, it is necessary to distinguish:
1. The age of the expectant mother is more than 35 years.
2. Presence of children from previous pregnancies with hereditary disorders:
- congenital hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex;
- developmental defects;
- chromosomal pathologies;
- mental retardation.
3. Habitual miscarriage of an unknown origin.
4. Primary amenorrhea.
Compatibility tests for pregnancy planning
Talking about the tests in the planning of pregnancy, doctors separately distinguish the study on the compatibility of the spouses. By this term it is customary to understand the immunological combination of sexual partners. Studies have shown that the body of a woman is often able to take the reproductive system spermatozoa, as pathogenic agents. As a result, intensive production of antibody proteins begins, which neutralize male sex cells. Such tests after a frozen pregnancy when planning the next are mandatory.
For the test, the doctor removes cervical mucus from the cervical canal. The procedure is carried out no later than 6-12 hours after the sexual act. Slime is subjected to microscopy. In the sampled sample, the total number of male germ cells is determined, their mobility and viability are evaluated. When there are many spermatozoa in the sample, they are mobile and active - the partners are immunologically compatible. If spermatozoa are not observed in the mucus under study or there are few of them and they are immobile, they speak of incompatibility.
Analysis for latent infections in the planning of pregnancy
Laboratory diagnostic methods can identify the presence of an agent in the body without the characteristic symptomatology of its presence. Sexual infections are diagnosed more often, signs of which can appear even months after infection. In order to exclude their detection during the carrying out of the baby, doctors prescribe tests for infection in the planning of pregnancy, the list of which is as follows:
- Smear microscopy is the study of epithelial cells from the urethra, the cervical canal.
- Bacteriological seeding is a cultural method that involves growing the pathogen on nutrient media and further microscopy.
- Immunoenzyme analysis (ELISA) - involves the detection of antibodies to pathogens in the blood serum.
- The reaction of immunofluorescence (RIF) - involves the coloring of the biomaterial and further microscopy of the smear.
- Polymer Chain Reaction (PCR) - helps to detect traces of the genetic material of the causative agent of blood, in the absence of symptoms.
Analysis for thrombophilia in the planning of pregnancy
This blood test when planning pregnancy helps to detect a complex disease, which is accompanied by a violation of the blood coagulation system. With thrombophilia, there is a tendency to develop clots - blood clots, which can clog the lumen of the blood vessel and disrupt the blood flow. Because of this, when answering the question: what tests do you need to pass to a woman when planning pregnancy, doctors also call a test for thrombophilia. Indications for it are:
- miscarriage of pregnancy;
- poor heredity;
- arterial hypertension;
- phlebeurysm;
- heart attack;
- stroke.