The schedule of pregnancy appointments and tests can be a little confusing for a first-time parent. So we thought we’d talk through the common screening tests and ultrasounds women may have as they go through pregnancy. 

For a more thorough explanation of each test, please listen to the full podcast. 

For most women, the first test during pregnancy will be a dating ultrasound. This ultrasound will be checking for the baby’s heartbeat as well as looking for twin pregnancies and issues such as ectopic pregnancy.

At around 10 weeks, there will be early screening tests, including the common NIPT test, which is a non-invasive blood test looking for chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome. If there are any concerns or difficulties analysing the results, your obstetrician will recommend a form of invasive testing called CVS, which is conducted after 12 weeks. If further testing is required, amniocentesis testing can be carried out at around 14-15 weeks. 

The next test is another ultrasound at around 12 weeks, which is also looking for chromosomal abnormalities, as well as checking the baby’s heart, brain, and other structures. Your specialised sonographer will also assess for risks such as pre-term birth and pre-eclampsia in the mother.

At 20 weeks, you’ll return for another detailed ultrasound, where the sonographer will study the baby’s anatomy and growth, and assess the position of the placenta and the length of the cervix to assess the risk of pre-term birth. This is the ultrasound where you can definitely find out the gender of your baby, although you can sometimes see on the 12 weeks scan as well, so do tell your sonographer if you don’t want to know!

Between 24 and 28 weeks you will have another blood test to check for things like iron levels, as well as a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. 

After the 20 week scan, the ultrasounds are often conducted by your obstetrician, who will continue to check on the baby’s growth as you progress towards the big day. If there are any concerns, we will continue to use a specialised sonographer for these scans.