Do not miss these pre-pregnancy tests if you are over 30 years old

A healthy mother gives birth to a healthy baby. Due to an unhealthy lifestyle and stress levels, women in their 30s may have hidden health problems that need to be corrected or optimized to ensure a smooth and healthy pregnancy. This emphasizes the importance of deciding on pre-pregnancy tests before you decide.

Recommended pre-pregnancy tests are:

1. Complete blood count

It detects low hemoglobin or anemia, which is one of the most common problems in young women and can be easily corrected with diet or medication.

2. Blood type

It helps in identifying a woman with Rhesus negative blood type. Rhesus-negative pregnant women will need to receive Anti-D injections during and after delivery.

3. Profile of thyroid hormones

Thyroid hormone helps maintain the overall well-being of our body, fertility and menstrual cycles. Insufficiently active thyroid (hypothyroid) can lead to weight gain, hair loss and infertility. The addition of external thyroid hormone helps in spontaneous conception and neurodevelopment of the fetus during pregnancy.

4. Fasting and postprandial blood sugars:

It helps us detect diabetes, which is one of the common public health problems in India due to eating habits and lifestyle. Early detection helps with diet and exercise management. Impaired glucose metabolism in pre-pregnancy can cause Gestational diabetes and macrosomic or large infants. High sugar levels before conception and in the first trimester can be harmful to the fetus and cause developmental defects.

5. Screening for infection:

Tests for HIV, hepatitis B, VDRL help detect dormant infections that can affect not only you but also your family. Although stigmatized, available treatments can help an individual maintain good health and prevent disease.

6. Hepatitis B vaccination:

Hepatitis B vaccination may be offered before pregnancy. If a woman is HIV positive, pregnancy can be timed at zero or minimum viral load so that the transmission of the disease to the baby through the placenta is minimized.

5. IgG antibodies against rubella:

This can help to know if a woman is protected from rubella (German measles) infection, which can be one of the common causes of miscarriage in pregnancy. We can offer a woman the option of vaccinating against rubella if she is susceptible. It is recommended to postpone pregnancy for at least one month after vaccination.

6. IgG antibodies against varicella-zoster:

Testing for Varicella-zoster IgG antibodies may be recommended, especially if a woman works with young children such as teachers. Vaccination against this infection helps protect the unborn child.

7. Toxoplasma antibody test

This will be helpful if a woman has feline pets. We can give women appropriate advice on self-care in these pets to protect themselves from toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy.

8. Screening test for thalassemia – Hb electrophoresis

This helps to understand if someone has defective Thalassemia Hb, which may be the cause of low hb. If it is positive, there is a 25% chance that your child has the same gene. Therefore, the husband should be tested to accurately calculate the risk of thalassemia in the unborn child.

9. Pap smear:

This test is usually performed by a gynecologist to screen for cervical cancer during an internal examination. It helps to pick up cells from the inner skin and then scan them under a microscope to pick up any abnormal cells. This test helps identify precancerous cells so that treatment can begin before the cancer begins. The test should be performed once every 3 years.

10. Ultrasound of the pelvis or genitals:

This helps in finding problems such as cysts or swelling of the ovaries filled with water, fibroids or polyps (skin marks on the inner skin of the uterus). Treatment for these problems may be needed before planning a pregnancy. It occasionally helps detect developmental problems in a young woman who may remain undiagnosed and may have an unfavorable pregnancy outcome.

Last words

It is recommended that you optimize a woman’s health with lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and regular daily exercise before planning a pregnancy. To prevent neurodevelopment and congenital malformations in the newborn, a daily intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid is recommended at least one month before conception.