Antenatal Testing Health Article
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Parental concerns
Impending parenthood is often accompanied by concerns that the baby may be born with defects or other health problems that would affect the quality of life of the baby and the family. That worry is often weighed against the anxiety associated with antenatal tests and their risks. Parents should be encouraged to educate themselves on the benefits and risks associated with the various antenatal screening procedures and work with their obstetrician to formulate an individualized prenatal care plan.
KEY TERMS
Alpha fetoprotein test—A screening blood test that can be done after the sixteenth week of pregnancy to evaluate the possibility of spina bifida and other neural tube defects in the fetus.
Amniocentesis—A procedure performed at 16–18 weeks of pregnancy in which a needle is inserted through a woman's abdomen into her uterus to draw out a small sample of the amniotic fluid from around the baby for analysis. Either the fluid itself or cells from the fluid can be used for a variety of tests to obtain information about genetic disorders and other medical conditions in the fetus.
Breech position—The foot-down or bottom-down position of a fetus just before delivery.
Group B streptococcus—A serotype of streptococcus, Streptococcus agalactiae, which is beta hemolytic and can cause neonatal sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis if present in the birth canal at the time of delivery especially when the delivery is difficult.
Hemoglobin—An iron-containing pigment of red blood cells composed of four amino acid chains (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) that delivers oxygen from the lungs to the cells of the body and carries carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs.
Meningitis—An infection or inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by bacteria or a virus.
Ultrasonography—A medical test in which sound waves are directed against internal structures in the body. As sound waves bounce off the internal structure, they create an image on a video screen. Ultrasonography is often used to diagnose fetal abnormalities, gallstones, heart defects, and tumors. Also called ultrasound imaging.
BOOKS
Seashore, Margretta R. "Genetic Counseling." In Cecil Textbook of Medicine. Edited by Lee Goldman and J. Claude Bennett. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2000.
Simpson, Joe Leigh. "Diagnostic Procedures for Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis." In Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. Edited by Steve G. Gabbe et al. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 2002.
PERIODICALS
Andrews, Janet I., Daniel J. Diekema, and Jerome Yankowitz. "Prenatal Testing for Infectious Disease." Clinics in Laboratory Medicine 23, no. 2 (June 2003): 295–315.
Bubb, Jennifer A., and Anne L. Matthews. "What's New in Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis?" Primary Care 31, no. 3 (September 2002): 561.
ORGANIZATIONS
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 409 12th St., SW, PO Box 96920, Washington, DC 20090–6920. Web site: <www.acog.org>.
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. 275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605. Web site: <www.modimes.org>.
WEB SITES
Singh, Daljit, Jai Rup Singh, and Vanita Kumar. "Prenatal Diagnosis for Congenital Malformations and Genetic Disorders." eMedicine, July 29, 2004. Available online at <www.emedicine.com/oph/topic485.htm> (accessed December 23, 2004).
Stephanie Dionne Sherk Melissa Knopper
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Author Info: Stephanie Dionne Sherk, Melissa Knopper, Thomson Gale, Gale, Detroit, Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health, 2006 |
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