They can do a blood test on you, or do testing on the fluid the baby is in.
"AFP is an oncofetal protein normally produced by the fetal liver and yolk sac. It is the dominant fetal serum protein in the first trimester of life and diminishes to very low levels by the age of 1 year."
"AFP is also helpful in the diagnosis of fetal body wall defects. The most notable of these is neural tube defects (NTDs), which can vary from a small myclomeningocele to anencephaly. Although not widely used in United States, AFP can be used for widespread screening for NTDs. Other examples of fetal body wall defects would include omphalocele and gastroschisis. Elevated serum AFP levels in pregnancy may also indicate multiple pregnancy, fetal distress, fetal congenital abnormalities, or intrauterine death. Low AFP levels after correction as to age of festation, maternal weight, race, and presence of diabetes are found in mothers carrying offspring with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). "
You should know your blood type. There are four main types. A, B, AB, O. There are antigens on the blood cell. These are a protein. Each person has a different type of protein. These are on the surface of the red blood cells. These can cause a response from the immune system. They are either negative or positive. If you are Rh negative and your husband is Rh positive, and the baby is Rh positive like its father, you can develop antibodies to the Rh positive baby. This happens if any of this baby's blood mixes with your blood. Your body sees it as a a foreign item, so it does what God designed it to do, and create antibodies. This is so if you ever have this 'foreign' item in your blood again, it will recognize it , and perhaps make attempts to 'get rid' of it. If you do develop this, it means that you are sensitized and your antibodies can cross the placenta and attack your baby's blood. They will break down the fetus's red blood cells and produce anemia. This condition is called hemolytic disease or hemolytic anemia. This can cause illness, brain damage, or death with a baby.
The following are possible ways that this can occur.
A blood test can tell you what your blood type is and if you are negative or positive. If you are negative, then I suggest that your husband be tested. If he is negative also, then you do not need to worry. It is suggested by the medical community that you have a shot if you are negative, and your husband is positive. The shot is called rhogam. It is a blood product. What if you do develop antibodies? If you become sensitized, you will be checked to see if the baby is developing the condition. The baby may need a blood transfusion to replace the diseased blood cells.
This test tells you about your blood cells. Your red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet count.
After you eat your glucose level is elevated. Glucose levels are controlled by insulin and glucagon. Before you eat, the level is low. Once you have eaten, and the glucose level rises, your insulin is secreted. This makes the glucose go into the cells to be metabolized to glycogen, amino acids, and fatty acids. By testing this, it will give your care giver a guide to your body's handling your glucose level. If it is elevated or abnormal , your care giver might talk with you about doing a 3 hour glucose tolerance test. It will give him/her more information about how your body is handling and processing glucose.
This is when you have a test done that sends ultra sound to the baby and it bounces back into a photo image. It allows the care giver to diagnose certain things with your baby. They say that ultra sounds are safe, but really the generation of children that have had them, are just growing up right now so we don't have all of the facts of the effects yet. Ultra sounds are great tools to diagnose problems if you suspect any thing is wrong, but to do it as a routeen check is not recommended by this midwife.
Antibodies testing for proteins that appear as a result to antigen. They attach to foreign antigen and attracts other WBC's to help dispose of the foreign antigen.
Detects antibodies other than the ABO group which attach to RBC's. The RBC's are tested.
Checks for antibodies in serum. It does not directly identify the specific antibody.
To check if you have the virus, that can lead to AIDS.
This is a disease of the liver caused by a virus. There is no cure for this. You can get this by sexual contact, sharing needles or personal care items. (razors, toothbrushes, and nail clippers)
First appears as sores and blisters. These sores appear around the genitals or lips. The place where the sores appear is the original site where the virus entered your body. In most cases. genital herpes is spread through direct contact with these sores. There are no symptoms at first. When they do occur, they very. There is no cure for genital herpes.
Human papillomavirus is a virus that causes warts. These growths may appear on the outside or inside of the vagina or penis and spread to nearby skin. They can be pink, red, flesh-colored, or brown. Sometimes they grow in groups and look like cauliflower. Some times this virus is associated with cancer of the cervix. A pap test can detect changes in the cervix that may be an early sign of cancer.
Other STD's include Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Hepatitis, Aids, Trichomoniasis, Syphilis.
