Blood tests

Blood tests are done at the beginning of the pregnancy. This examination is done to prevent diseases in the baby. The midwife will give you forms with which you can have blood drawn at the lab. You will receive the results of the blood test at the next check-up by the obstetrician. By default, your blood is tested on the following points:

BLOOD TYPE

It is important to know which blood type you have if you unexpectedly need a blood transfusion after delivery. You can have blood group A, B, AB or 0.

RESUS FACTOR

The blood test determines the rhesus factor. You are either Rh positive or Rh negative. The majority of women are rhesus positive (84%) and a small proportion are rhesus negative (16%). If you are Rh positive, this has no consequences for the pregnancy. If you are Rh negative, this needs extra attention during pregnancy. See rhesus factor.

LUES (SYPHILIS)

Lues is a sexually transmitted disease that a person can contract through unprotected sex. In early pregnancy, the placenta protects the baby against this disease. Later in pregnancy or during delivery, the baby is at risk of becoming infected. If you are infected with this disease, it is important to know this early in the pregnancy, so that you can be treated with antibiotics.

HIV

HIV is the virus that can cause AIDS. You can contract HIV through unsafe sex or through blood contact with someone who is infected with HIV. If you are infected with HIV, you can transfer this virus to the baby during childbirth or pregnancy. This can be prevented by taking special precautions during pregnancy and childbirth. That is why it makes sense to do an HIV test at the beginning of the pregnancy. If the HIV test is positive, you are a carrier of the virus. In that case you will be referred to a specialized HIV center.

HEPATITIS B

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease in which the liver is infected. You can get this infection through sexual contact or through blood contact. You can get sick from this after infection, but in some people the disease goes unnoticed. Some of the infected people continue to carry this disease. These people are called virus carriers and can infect others. If you are a virus carrier, you could infect the baby during delivery. To prevent this, special measures are required.

IRREGULAR ANTIBODIES

Your blood will be screened for antibodies to other blood groups. You can have these antibodies if you have had a blood transfusion before. These antibodies could reach the baby through the placenta and break down the baby's blood there. If this is the case, the gynecologist will investigate which antibodies are involved and whether special measures are needed.

GLUCOSE

Some pregnant women are tested for sugar to check whether they do not have (gestational) diabetes. This happens, for example, if diabetes runs in your family, if you had diabetes in a previous pregnancy or if you come from a certain country. If this turns out to be the case, you will either receive dietary advice or your pregnancy will be supervised by the gynecologist.

HB

The level of the hemoglobin in the blood is examined. This can determine whether you have anemia. This is easy to treat and will not harm yourself or the baby.