As long as you are a pregnant woman, your health and that of the unborn baby should come first. When you eat healthily, you are not only strengthening your immune system but also your unborn child will get the essential nutrients to grow well.
If you are in a sexual relationship, there is a possibility you will conceive at one point. So, how will you know if you are pregnant? Probably you know about home pregnancy testing using urine, that shows results in a few minutes. Most women find out their pregnancy results from home or hospital tests.
Cost of Screening in Singapore
According to the National University Hospital, obstetrics and gynecology centers in Singapore provide local data to examine the different strategies that can be employed in screening patients across the country. Based on a total screened population of 10,295 mentioned in the document, the average cost of tests per patient is as follows:
Least cost: with the strategy of performing FTS on all, with CVS or amniocentesis offered to those with risk ≥ 1:250 at the time of screening (about S$342).
Marginally higher cost: with the strategy of performing FTS on all, with CVS or amniocentesis offered to those with risk ≥ 1:100, NIPT to those with risk of 1:101 to 1:1,000, and CVS or amniocentesis performed for those screened positive via NIPT (about S$407).
Highest cost: with the strategy of performing NIPT on all, with CVS or amniocentesis offered to those who are screened positive (about S$1,011).
Screening Process
Pregnancy can at times come with different emotions for different women, but the important thing is to start planning for antenatal visits or screening to keep your baby healthy throughout the pregnancy. The following pregnancy screening tips are essential for every pregnant woman.
- After discovering you are pregnant, make sure you go through various lab investigations to know if you have any condition which might be a threat you and the fetus. Part of the antenatal care is making sure you don’t miss any test for your wellbeing and that of the unborn child. The common prenatal tests check-ups Common antenatal lab investigations include whole blood group, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, and urine.
- On the sixth to eighth week of pregnancy, you will go through an early ultrasound to confirm whether the pregnancy is well developing. How fun and panicky it is to listen to your child’s heartbeat during the scanning process. The typical reason for a scan in the first trimester is to ensure you aren’t carrying an ectopic pregnancy.
- Do you believe the 8th to 10th-week scan could tell your delivery due date? Well, now you know. You will also go through the ninth week of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which is also a scan. Non-invasive procedure tests genetic disorders such as Down, and fetal DNA, done from the mother’s blood. Screening of the DNA detects common chromosomal conditions. The health screening in Singapore offers some of the best health care services for pregnant women.
- Chorionic Villus Sampling test is done in the 11th to 12th-week gestation to detect fetal genetic disorders. From week 11 to 14, other tests include Down syndrome, other chromosomal issues. The Second Trimester.
- At week 16-20, tests include chronic sampling villus and the amniocentesis. You only qualify for this test if you are a pregnant woman with a previous genetic or chromosomal disorder in your past pregnancies. When you hit 19-22 week, any physical abnormalities and gestational diabetes in the fetus will get detected.
- Ultrasound growth and Doppler scans will help in checking the fetus development. At week 35 of pregnancy, a vaginal swab test will show harmful bacteria like group B streptococcus.
Conclusion
Make sure you never miss your antenatal visits the moment you discover your pregnancy. Taking care of your pregnancy will result in a healthy you and the baby. At the health screening in Singapore, doctors advise that you exercise, and take prenatal vitamins for a healthy pregnancy.
