Jun 7, 2012

Necessary Tests in the First Quarter of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a major change in a woman's life, on the one hand the physical and mental changes characteristic of this period. First trimester of pregnancy and the first 12 weeks, is the most important and decisive stage in the future child's harmonious development.

Unfortunately, over 60% of all pregnancies do not survive more than 2-3 months, or stop evolution or progress to miscarriage, without taking into account the multitude of voluntary abortions "on demand". Misconduct are the main causes that induce changes in chromosomal abnormalities incompatible with survival.

The first eight weeks are crucial for embryonic development. Drug administration or action of various external factors on embryo or zygote stage (before day 20), have the effect of "all or nothing", that kills the embryo.

Organogenesis occurs between 3-8 weeks, extremely important period in which various external agents (drugs, parasitic and bacterial agents, physical agents, etc..) Acting on products of conception may have an effect malformation. The consequences of this process are the abortion, lethal malformations, metabolic or functional defects that will manifest later in life.

Of these, blood counts, transaminases (SGPT, SGOT), glucose, uric acid, urea, creatinine (blood measurements) allow shaping haematological and biochemical status of pregnant women. Pointing out any pathologies, previously known or not, should be taken to enable treatment decisions and monitoring throughout the pregnancy.

Routine HIV antibody detection is performed (Ac HIV) and Treponema pallidum (VDRL) for the diagnosis of HIV, syphilis, respectively. Active infection with Treponema (syphilis) in the first three months of pregnancy can result in miscarriage, but not actually a rule. Regardless of when the contamination occurred, treatment is mandatory.

Detection of hepatitis C virus infection is by detection of specific antibodies (anti HCV Ac). In this case their decision to continue the pregnancy is difficult and depends very much on the woman, and the results of investigations. In any case, pregnancy can seriously aggravate the disease.

Determination of hepatitis B virus antigen (HBsAg) is done only in situations where this analysis was performed by more than three months ago from when they make these determinations. As with C virus infection, pregnancy can hasten the evolution of viral hepatitis B, resulting in death. Vaccination in pregnancy is not recommended.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection can sometimes result in miscarriage, but when this does not occur - can cause serious infections to the mother and fetus. Ideally, detection and treatment of infection to be made in preload.

Another important investigation is represented by vaginal secretion. The vagina can confine a number of bacterial agents, most frequently coming from the large intestine, inducing a series of symptoms (leukorrhea, pain with intercourse, local itching, etc..) And abortion complications that may culminate in the first quarter. These infections once detected, is easily treated with specific antibiotics.

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