Important Tests during pregnancy help check the baby's growth and health, as well as the mother's well-being.
Second Trimester Screening: From starting your pregnancy journey, the one fear that will continue till the baby's birth is how the baby's growth is inside your womb, Doesnt that right? I know it's right.
In these three trimesters, there will be many tests and screenings that need to be done to assess the risk of your genetic condition or birth defects.
Also Check: Fetal Growth Restriction
As you are in the second trimester, whenever your doctor suggests the STS Test in Pregnancy, just ask about the risks and benefits without feeling. And it is your personal choice whether to take the test or not.
You do not need to go for every test that they suggest, if you feel uncomfortable asking each and everything to the doctor, you can just read our article below as we have provided every test that is done in this trimester.
You will get an idea by checking out and you will get an idea whenever your doctor suggests you, even if you have doubts after reading the article, you can ask your providers.
- Routine Screenings & Tests During Second Trimester
- Who should not have this second-trimester screening(STS)?
- How long does it take to get these STS results?
- What is the difference between NIPT and STS?
Routine Screenings & Tests During Second Trimester
When you go to the hospital for the first time after every trimester, there will be some routine tests to be done. In this second trimester, if it was your first visit to your doctor then the below tests will be done.
The second trimester will start from 13 - 26 weeks and all the below tests will be done between 15-20 weeks.
Your provider will suggest a full body checkup along with weight, blood pressure, and height, and after that, they also provide you pelvic exams in that they also do the routine cervical test as this test will detect the change in the cervical cells which leads to cancer.
These tests and screenings will be continued by Urine tests, and blood tests as well. One more thing, when they do the pelvic exam your provider will also test the STIs(Sexually Transmitted Infections) and gonorrhea.
When they do the Urine test, they check out your sugar levels, protein, and also if there are any signs of infection as we have seen above.
But in the blood test, there will be many things to check out, firstly, they check out your RH factor, if that is negative and your partner's RH factor is positive, then in your fetus there will be the development of antibodies, and to avoid that you need to take the injection in 28th week.
Then that blood test will also give you a result of Blood count, where low blood count can lead to anemia, Hepatitis B, HIV, German Measles, Chicken Pox, Cystic Fibrosis, and Spinal Muscular etropy.
But if you dont want to get at risk with any of these signs during pregnancy, making a preconception checkup before you plan for pregnancy, is a good idea.
Going for a Preconception checkup every 3 months to one year will help avoid complications in pregnancy.
And till your delivery, all these tests will be done every time you visit a doctor. But some other tests will be done in the second trimester, which may include,
- Ultrasound
- Multiple Marker Test/Quadruple Test/Quad Screen/ AFPS (Alpha-fetoprotein Screening)
- Glucose Screening
- Amniocentesis
- Chorionic Villus Sampling
- Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling(PUBs)
Ultrasound Test in the Second Trimester: The Ultrasound Test that is going to be done in the second trimester, which we also call the Level 2 Ultrasound will be done in between 18-20 weeks.
It is a safe and painless test that uses sound waves to make images to see the baby's growth which is of the baby's shape, if the baby is developing normally or not. It may be done only once for the trimester, normally, if your mom is at high risk then these ultrasounds will be taken two -to three.
Multiple Marker Test/Quadruple Test/Quad Screen/ AFPS (Alpha-fetoprotein Screening): This is a test that will be done by taking the blood from your body, and checking the level of alpha-fetoprotein.
This test will be done between 15-20 weeks of your pregnancy journey. And it will be done to check any neural tube defects and also chromosomal abnormalities. This AFP will be generated by your fatty liver and that will be in the amniotic fluid which is available around the fetus.
Some of the abnormal issues that AFP can tell you are Open neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, Down syndrome, Defects in the abdominal wall of the fetus, Other chromosomal abnormalities, A miscalculated due date, as the levels vary throughout pregnancy and Twins.
For more accurate results, these second-trimester results will be combined with the first trimester.
Glucose Screening: This test in the second trimester will be done to know that you have any gestational diabetes which can be seen in some women during pregnancy. It needs to be done between 24 - 28 weeks.
It is not at all dangerous but if it is not treated, it can be harmful to the baby. This needs to be done, one hour after you drink any sugary liquids. If you get a positive result, you will be done with the sensitive glucose tolerance test.
Amniocentesis: A test of Amniocentesis will be done for the woman during pregnancy in whom the abnormalities or child defects have been identified. This is the test that needs to be done in the second trimester.
This test will be done by taking the amniotic fluid from the womb of the mother. It will be painless at the time of the procedure and may cause little pain. It will be done only if it is needed. This test is optional.
Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling(PUBS): PBUS which we also call test Umbilical Vein Sampling, Fetal Blood Sampling, and Cordocentesis.
This test usually will not be preferred to any pregnant woman by the provider. But unless you cannot find the disorders, abnormalities, or defects of the child.
This will be done by taking the fetal blood from the umbilical cord.
Your doctor will talk to you about your family history, Gynic history, and obstetric history. Based on that, your doctor may also suggest you with the tests that are given below.
- thyroid disease
- toxoplasmosis
- Tay-Sachs disease
- hepatitis C
- cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- fragile X syndrome
- tuberculosis
- Canavan disease (a rare neurological disorder)
FAQs on Second Screening Pregnancy
1. Who should not have this second-trimester screening(STS)?
A pregnant woman who has done NT (Nuchal Translucency Test) in their first trimester, is also the one who has received a low-risk result in the NIPT test. Finally, if you are having more than one in your womb.
2. How long does it take to get these STS results?
These Second Trimester Screening results may take upto 5 working days. Once after that, your health provider will talk to you about the results.
3. What is the difference between NIPT and STS?
Second Trimester Screening and NIPT test are almost the same and both will be done by taking blood, but NIPT is more accurate than STS test in pregnancy.
Conclusion
Remember all the pregnant women who are reading this Second Screening Pregnancy article, all the tests that we have suggested will be done under your acceptance. If you dont want any of the tests then it is upto you to decide.
So before going for the tests, read and know all the risks and benefits that you get with the test and then decide.
Every test has a detailed explanation at our SowmyaHospitals.com website.