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=Prenatal Testing =

**﻿What Is prenatal Testing?**
 * Prenatal testing is testing for diseases or conditions in a fetus or an embryo before it is born. Down syndrome, gestational diabetes, and chromosome abnormalities can be identified through prenatal testing.

**Who Normally Has Prenatal Tests?** __Women who__:
 * are age 35 or older
 * are adolescents
 * have had a premature baby
 * are carrying more than one baby
 * have a family history of mental retardation
 * have high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

**__Tests During the First Visit__:** On the first visit of your prenatal testing, you'll have a full physical and you may have a urine test to check for protein, sugar or signs of infection. Blood tests will also be done to check for: After the first visit, tests performed later on in the pregnancy include:
 * hepatitis B, syphillis, and HIV
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">anemia (a low red blood cell count)
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">your blood type
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">cystic fibrosis
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">etc.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">sickle cell trait tests
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">urine tests for other STD's

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Prenatal Testing for Down Syndrome**: <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">__Two types of tests are performed__:
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">__Screening tests__- estimates the risk that the fetus has down syndrome
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">cost-effective and easy to perform
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">gives an idea to whether more tests need to be performed
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">__Diagnostic tests__- tells whether or not the fetus actually has the condition
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">99% accurate
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">can cause a miscarriage or other complications