tests at the doctor's

[Daphne]

I'm just wondering what tests you have to go through while you are pregnant and which are the worse. Please be honest and don't sugar coat it. I need to know what I have to look forward to.

I just went to my 3rd visit and heard the heartbeat. I'm now at 12 weeks. The doctor said at my next visit I will have some blood work to run a test for downs.

Thanks for the info!

[Missy]

Ok, I have had that same test a few visits ago

glucose tolerance this time (timed blood draw)

if i don't pass, next time i will have a 3 hr test (have had to have it each pregnancy before ) (timed blood draw)

Albumin ...protien test, each visit (urine test)

Pap first visit (you already know a pap test, lol, i am willing to bet)

Group B Test (test for strep) a cervix swap to test for strep haven't had it yet this preg, but have had around this far along with prev pregnancies

Hep B test (blood draw)

I am sure there are more, but this is all i can remember right off.

[Missy]

Oh, and around 20 wks i had the ultrasounds...that;s the most enjoyable test. you get to see and hear baby.

oh and also, to answer your question about what's worse...all the blood draws, because i am a weenie when it comes to needles. So for torture, the 3 hr glucose tolerance test is my most hated, becaue i already know ahead of time they will draw blood three times in the course of three hours.

[Kimmomo3]

Many people do not like the glucose test, mostly they don't like the drink but I am a suger freak so I did not mind it.


The thing I did not like the most was tward the end the cervix check gets more and more uncomfortable. But nothing BAD just more visits and more checks.

NEVER let a student do it. My 2nd kid my doc had a student at one visit and he asked if the student could check and MAN not a good thing. He did not know what he was doing!

[Missy]

I had a student "helper" with my first pregnancy, and had the opposite experience. The student was a lot more ginger and careful.

[KatieInLa2]

I had that test for downs because of my age during pregnancy. It showed a false positive and I had to re-take it 2 weeks later. It has a large rate of false positives so don't let it upset you if you do happen to get a positive. No one told me before hand. I cried for two weeks.

My ds is perfectly healthy. Just took a bath and flooded the bathroom again..

Katie

[KKCondrey]

here is a pretty good link to babycenter.com http://www.babycenter.com/prenatal-tests if you aren't signed up there, I'd do it. I have the free membership and a lot of the articles are helpful.

I didn't do the CVS test. But I did do the 1 hour glucose screening test and by one point had to endure the 3 hour test. (No problems there, I tested very very low actually). The test isn't to bad, especially if you like Sunkist or other orange sodas. However the quicker you drink it the easier it is as it seems to get sweeter with each sip.

The GBS swap was uncomfortable but quick, it doesn't hurt though. They do that around 34-36 weeks so they will know whether or not you need an antibiotic during labor to keep the baby from getting it.

[Daphne]

Thanks ladies! I'm only 30 years old....should I be getting the test for downs? I guess it won't hurt - right? Kat- I am signed up at that website but thank you for the link!!

[Ellise]

I don't remember what all I went through.

But Congrats on the Baby!!!

[Mamawolf]

Oooh, I had lots of tests. All my babies were premature, tho. I never made to have the strep B test. The blood draws were no biggie for me, but then I don't have a problem with the butterfly needles. I didn't care too much for that sunkist type drink for the GTT. The worst part for me was I had to have weekly cervical checks, and bi-weekly vaginal ultrasounds to measure cervical length.

[KKCondrey]

Originally posted by Daphne
Thanks ladies! I'm only 30 years old....should I be getting the test for downs? I guess it won't hurt - right? Kat- I am signed up at that website but thank you for the link!!

It's totally up to you. The Dr. won't make you take it unless you are older than 35 or have a history of downs in your family. Other than that they leave it up to you to decide if you want to do it or not.

The time frame from when we moved to when they normally give the test was around the same time so I was a few weeks further then they usually do it when I finally got in to see my new Dr. Plus I've had a lot of friends get false positives so to me it wasn't worth it to pay for an additional test that isn't mandatory and not accurate.

[PrairieRose]

I only had the basics with my 3, except for ds. I had the glucose tolerance with him. It wasn't that bad.

I had urine and bloodwork done, cervix swipes and ultrasounds with all 3.

nothing bad at all about any of them.....