Maybe before you wonder if you should have a chorionic villus sampling (CVS) test, it should be explained.
The chorionic villus is what will eventually become the placenta. CVS tests the cells in the tissue for genetic abnormalities. It can tell many – not all – of the types of things that an amniocentesis (What is amniocentesis?) can, but it is done earlier, leaving parents with more time to decide if they will carry the pregnancy.
If you click on the TV screen below, you can watch a video that discusses what CVS looks for, how it’s done and who should …read more

It may be hard to believe, but apparently almost one in five women who get the news that the baby they’re carrying has Down’s syndrome don’t believe it. I know many people would ask "why have the genetic testing if you’re not going to do anything about it if the tests show an abnormality," but that’s often answered with explanations of wanting to know ahead of time to prepare. My question more would be, "why would you have the test if you don’t believe the results?" Denial?
Testing for genetic disorders, like Down’s syndrome, are fairly easy to get in …read more

Down syndrome, or Down’s syndrome, has been front and center since Governor Sarah Palin’s nomination for vice-president running mate in the United States. Her son, Trig Palin, was born with Down syndrome. I know a good bit about Down syndrome because my brother, Erich, has it. He’s actually a “foster,” as he came to live with my family when he was 3 months old, having been abandoned by his birth parents. He is now 31 years old and still as healthy as can be. And he’s a real sweetie too.
Most women who become pregnant over the age of …read more

If your doctor has recommended that you have a chorionic villus sampling test – a test to check for genetic abnormalities in the fetus, the newest research may be of some comfort to you.
CVS is done as early as 10 weeks. It can be done through the abdomen, like an amniocentesis, or through the cervix. It is often recommended over amniocentesis because it can be done earlier, up to 4 weeks earlier (10 weeks versus 14 weeks). However, there was a long-standing concern that CVS carried with it an increased chance of miscarriage.
A new study, published in the journal …read more

Don’t forget your chance (to Aug. 30) to win a 50.00 Amazon.com gift card and a 3-pack parenting/pregnancy book set/

Gonorrhea? Did you really see that on your blood test requisition? Isn’t gonorrhea also “the clap“? Yes – and yes. And yes, that means it’s a sexually transmitted disease. If you’re shocked about being tested – don’t be. You’re not being singled out because it’s actually a routine blood test for pregnant women in North America.
According to statistics, more than 700,000 people in the United States are infected with gonorrhea each year. That number tends to shock a lot of …read more

Part of being pregnant means taking good care of yourself to reduce the risks of having problems with both the pregnancy and the baby. Part of this prenatal care is prenatal testing. That means blood tests and, perhaps, ultrasounds and more.
What types of tests you have depend on if they are routine (done on all pregnant women), your age, your health, and if there are any factors that may contribute to problems with either your pregnancy or your baby.
Lab Tests Online has this informative page on the different types of blood tests that are and may be done on pregnant …read more

Some people learn better by reading, others by doing, and yet others by watching. The advantage to this blog is I can write things out for you and I can also provide videos to help you learn about pregnancy and health issues. Here are 10 of the most popular videos here at Womb Within:

Video: Caesarian section

Video: Chorionic villus sampling

Video: What is amniocentesis?

Video: Fetal ultrasound

Video: What are doctors looking for with ultrasounds?

Want to make your own heating pad/rice bag?

Video: month 7 of pregnancy

Video: month 8 of pregnancy – you’re getting there!

Video: weeks 33 to 36 – the first half of month …read more

 
 
Was I mean putting coffee here? Some women really miss their coffee while they’re pregnant, while with others, it doesn’t bother them.
 
 
C is also for:
 Cervical incompetence: Sounds like we’ve done something naughty! But cervical incompetence is not something that women can do anything about. It’s the cervix that is unable to remain closed during pregnancy, keeping the woman at risk from miscarrying or delivering prematurely. In some cases, obstetricians can stitch the cervix closed until it’s almost time to go into labor or mothers with this problem could be put on bedrest.
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS): This test is done …read more

 
A is for astronaut. Would you want your child to be one? I really don’t think I’d be thrilled about that career choice. I mean, it’s hard enough to let them go to the other side of the world sometimes, but to let them go out of this world? Yikes.
 
Anyway, for our purposes today, A is also for:
Amniocentesis: This is a test that allows doctors to evaluate the amniotic fluid, for genetic problems and to check if the baby is in distress. Here is some information on the amniocentesis:

What is amniocentesis?
Video: What is amniocentesis?

Amniotic fluid: When your baby is …read more

Ectopic pregnancies are a life-threatening emergency in most cases. An ectopic pregnancy is what occurs when an egg is fertilized and implants in tissue not in the uterus – most commonly in a fallopian tube.
The biggest problem with an ectopic pregnancy is most women don’t know they have one until it bursts, causing internal bleeding. According to this article, however, scientists may be close to a test to tell if there is an ectopic pregnancy: Ectopic pregnancy test which could save women’s fertility ‘within a year’.
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