Prenatal labs

We will be doing a number of laboratory tests on your first visit. These include a test to determine your Rh status. Though it's rare, having a different Rh status than your fetus can cause Rh disease, which may lead to serious illness or even death for your baby. This is easily prevented by an injection of rhogam, an immunoglobin, during the late second trimester. Your doctor will also check your blood for signs of exposure to syphilis, rubella, hepatitis B, and HIV. Other lab work includes cervical culture to check for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. Each following prenatal visit will require a urine test to screen for infection, protein or glucose in the urine.