Pregnancy screening identifies mother and babies who may have rare but serious conditions. Most mothers and babies screened will not have any of the conditions but, for the small number that do, the benefits of screening are enormous. Early treatment can improve their health and prevent severe disability or even death. There are two types of test. Screening tests, which are offered to everyone, and are intended to show whether there is a chance you and your baby may have a condition. Diagnostic tests, which are further tests that may be carried out depending on the results of the screening test, to confirm what, if any, problem there may be.
All pregnant women in Scotland are offered pregnancy screening for the following :
- Communicable diseases
- Haemoglobinopathies
- Down’s syndrome
- Fetal anomalies