You should do these 8 exams before getting pregnant to avoid complications in pregnancy or sequelae for the baby
Below are the tests that doctors recommend most before they get pregnant. But if an unexpected pregnancy occurs, they should be done as soon as possible, so that appropriate treatment is started as soon as possible, if necessary.
1. Serology for Toxoplasmosis
IgG and IgM are tests that detect antibodies against various diseases, including Toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. If at some point in life the woman comes in contact with this parasite, the IgG becomes positive for the rest of the life, even if the disease is not active. It will protect you from future infections. Positive IgM is a warning sign because it indicates a recent or acute infection.
This is a very important examination, because the parasite can cause significant damage to the fetus, such as serious damage to vision, neurological damage and abortion, depending on which trimester of pregnancy a woman is infected.
2. Fasting glycemia
This test detects blood sugar levels and may indicate whether or not a woman has diabetes.
3. Pap smear
It is important for the woman to have her pre-operative up-to-date to prevent the late detection of malignant lesions in the cervix, which could jeopardize pregnancy.
4. Hepatitis B
It is imperative to discover and treat Hepatitis B before becoming pregnant, as the virus can affect the liver of the pregnant woman and be transmitted to the baby.
In this article by Dr. Naomi Helena Wagner on Hepatitis and Pregnancy, we read: “Of children who get hepatitis B virus by vertical transmission, 90% develop with chronic infection, and in children the chance of becoming a chronic carrier is greater the lower the Age of the virus. Of these chronic carriers, 25 to 30% will develop chronic liver disease, cirrhosis or hepatocarcinoma. ”
5. Hemogram
It is a common and important examination. It can identify the presence of infections, inflammations and anemias, which need to be treated before the woman gets pregnant.
6. Serology for Syphilis
This STD is caused by a bacteria called Treponema pallidum. Unfortunately, the woman can also contract her for a kiss if her partner is in the second stage of the disease when mouth sores form. The most common exam to detect it is VDRL.
In pregnancy, untreated disease can cause miscarriage, brain malformations of the fetus, deafness, blindness, cleft lip and bone malformations. In some cases, syphilis can be fatal for the baby born with the disease.
7. Serology for HIV
The sooner the woman knows she has HIV, the better, because if she ends up getting pregnant, it is important, according to this government website , to immediately start treatment with antiretroviral drugs to prevent transmission to the child, which can occur during pregnancy and I’m not giving birth The transmission can also occur through breast milk, so the woman who has the virus should not breast feed.
The newborn should also receive these medications for four weeks, always with health care follow-up.
8. Blood typing
This test is important to prevent blood incompatibility between the mother and fetus. The risk situation is when the fetus inherits the positive RH from the father while the mother has negative RH. In this case, according to Dr. Dráuzio Varella , “woman produces anti-Rh antibodies to try to destroy the Rh agent of the fetus, considered” intruder “.
Exams for man
To protect mother and child from possible complications in pregnancy, and prevent sequelae for the baby, the man also needs to do some exams, preferably before pregnancy. The most important are: Hemogram, HIV, Syphilis, Blood Typing and Hepatitis B.
These exams are usually requested by the gynecologist. That is why it is essential to make an appointment before becoming pregnant or, in the case of an unexpected pregnancy, to start prenatal care as soon as possible.
