Pregnancy is a time of frequent medical appointments to monitor your baby’s progress—and to prepare you for the big day! In addition to office visits, Women First offers lots of education for expectant parents, as well as genetic screening. You can even get some fun peeks at your developing baby!
An important part of prenatal care is to better understand all aspects of your pregnancy, including the labor and childbirth process. Many different childbirth classes—such as hypnobirthing, Lamaze, and yoga—are offered in our area that can help you prepare for labor and delivery and the birth of your new baby.
Ultrasounds are a great opportunity to see your developing baby—including some optional services that may be your baby’s first photo session—but they’re also important tools in medically monitoring your pregnancy. We are very lucky to have a team of highly skilled ultrasonographers at Women First, with five state-of-the-art ultrasound units conveniently located within our office.
Women First routinely performs all trimester obstetrical ultrasounds, as well as biophysical profile and umbilical artery doppler testing. 3D/4D ultrasounds are performed for high resolution images.
In the first trimester, ultrasound is done to confirm your due date and can also help evaluate threatened miscarriage, chromosomal abnormalities, or tubal pregnancy. During the second trimester, your Care Team will perform an abdominal ultrasound; a full anatomical survey of the baby is possible around 20 weeks. In the third trimester, we use ultrasound to analyze fetal growth, measure fluid and perform assessments of your baby’s well-being. Come to the ultrasound unit with a full bladder for better visualization.
Gender Ultrasound
It’s the ultimate gender reveal. Women First offers optional gender scans at 16 weeks into your pregnancy. (This scan is performed only to evaluate the gender; the anatomical scan is done around 20 weeks.) The gender ultrasound session includes four images of your baby and gender determination for only $75. Family, friends and children are welcome. Approximately 15 minutes will be spent performing the scan. Insurance does not cover these scans, so please be prepared to pay for your ultrasound at the time of your visit.
3D/4D Fetal Photography Session
Seeing your baby through the technology of ultrasound can be a joyful experience. At Women First, we believe that ultrasound can promote early bonding and be a powerful force to carry you through the last weeks of your pregnancy. During this session, our sonographers will spend time viewing your baby’s features and record it on a DVD for you. This is best done between 26 and 30 weeks. You may bring family members with you, as well.
Fetal photography sessions are $175 and are payable when you arrive for the ultrasound.
Whether it’s to assess your risks or to gain more information about suspected problems, Women First can provide safe, noninvasive and highly accurate screening tests for you and your baby. These newer tests give insight into your risk for a number of chromosomal disorders, such as Down syndrome (extra chromosome 21), as well as gender. Another group of tests will screen you as a carrier of more than 100 different autosomal recessive diseases. As a result, invasive tests such as amniocentesis or CVS, which have a risk of miscarriage, are rarely needed. Some tests available in pregnancy include:
Cell Free DNA
Technology allows us to test your baby’s chromosomes by doing a simple test of your blood. These tests can be done any time after 10 weeks and screen for Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), Trisomy 18, and Trisomy 13, as well as sex chromosomal disorders. These tests screen for the most common chromosomal disorders, yet they do not test for all chromosomal issues. And, while a negative test result is very reassuring, it does not always guarantee a healthy baby.
Spina Bifida Screening
We also offer a simple blood test to screen for spina bifida, or open neural tube defect—one of the most common birth defects. This test is MSAFP (maternal serum alfa fetal protein), which is done ideally between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy at a relatively low cost. Taking folate pre-conceptually and very early in pregnancy can significantly reduce the risk of your baby having spina bifida.
Expanded Genetic Carrier Testing
There are thousands of genes on our chromosomes, and many of us are carriers of a specific gene defect without being aware of it. When your partner carries the same recessive gene, your child has a 25% chance of receiving both genes and getting the disease. Examples of these types of recessive genetic diseases, which affect one in 400 births, include cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.
A simple blood test can screen you or your partner to see if you are a carrier of more than 100 genetic diseases that are relevant to pregnancy and babies. When we only screen based on ethnicity and family history, we miss 80% of carriers. An expanded genetic carrier blood test can be done at any time, pre-conceptually or during pregnancy.
Deciding on Genetic Testing
Genetic screens are optional; only you can decide if they’re right for you. You may want to discuss these testing options at a visit with your physician early in your pregnancy. If you are interested, you should see how much your insurance will cover and how much your cost will be by contacting the genetic testing company to get your individual cost.
