• OB exam early: to detect/see any evidence of herpes or genital wart infections that might mean C-section needed; to detect diabetes or diabetic tendency; to determine blood pressure baseline so as to detect any degree of personal high blood pressure
• Ultrasound: parents want this to see the sex & doctors the position of baby; doctors want it to look for placental attachments in abnormal...possibly life-threatening... locations, to find twins or more early, and to find obvious birth defects early
• blood type testing of mom: to see if Rh negative; and, if so, give immune globulin (Rhogam) early so that the treatment picks off any fetal red cells in the maternal circulation early, before mom's body can mount an attack on the fetus; may retest later.
• testing of vagina secretions for abnormal organisms: beta strep (GBS), in particular, can cause baby/placental infections
• searching for birth defects in order to either consider abortion or for post-delivery planning:
  • visual: by ultrasound
  • biochemical:
    • triple test:
    • PAPP-A:
  • placental villous biopsy for genetic testing

• screening for STDs by serum or molecular testing or culture (most optimal thing is to clear the infection prior to pregnancy):
  • HBV: Hx of HBV hepatitis & found to be positive for HBV DNA by PCR [LMC-04-1928].
  • lues:
  • HSV:
  • GC:
  • chlamydia:
  • HPV:
  • nonspecific vaginosis (overgrowth of Gardnerella vaginalis):
  • Trichomonas vaginalis
• other:

References:

(posted 23 June 2004; latest addition 11 November 2004)