Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : September 23, 2014 6:30 PM IST
Pregnancy is the time when a woman's prenatal tests and vaccinations stand to be of utmost importance. However, it is also a time when a health care providers or the doctors should be careful in deciding on the same as many medications, vaccinations and therapies are contraindicated in pregnancy. In order to have a healthy and smooth pregnancy it is important that one gets all the relevant tests and vaccinations done before planning for a baby. In India, the vaccination that are compulsorily given to an expectant mother during pregnancy is the tetanus vaccination. Two doses of the vaccination are given to the mother during the course of her pregnancy. At times, depending on the mother's health and the prognosis of the doctor, one might also have to take a rubella vaccination and vaccination for cervical cancer while planning her pregnancy.
However, a flu vaccination was never recommended for a pregnant women till date. But chances are that soon things might change when it comes to prenatal vaccinations. Doctors have warned that getting a flu shot should become a routine part of prenatal care. As a new report has revealed that among those pregnant women whose health care provider offered them a flu shot had the highest vaccination rates. Edward McCabe, MD, March of Dimes chief medical officer said that health care providers should offer their pregnant patients a flu shot each year and if they don't, then women should ask for it.
According to the report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all pregnant women and those planning to become pregnant should receive a flu shot because the normal changes to a pregnant woman's immune system, heart and lungs put mums-to-be at increased risk of the harmful effects of flu infection.
The report also said that babies born to mothers who got their flu shot while pregnant were protected from serious illness from influenza during their first six months of life. They also had a lower risk of flu-related hospitalizations for chronic asthma, heart conditions, diabetes, a weakened immune system, and other health-related problems. The CDC recommends that everyone six months of age or older, including pregnant women, be vaccinated annually against the influenza virus.
What are the tests that are to be done while planning a pregnancy?
Routine blood tests: A routine blood test is done on both partners to check if there are any underlying health conditions that needs attention or can come in the way of conception and pregnancy.
CBC count: A complete blood count is done to rule out the possibility of anemia in the woman, as low hemoglobin count can in turn adversely affect fetal health and development after conception. 'In most cases this condition can be treated effectively if it comes to light before conception to ensure a smooth pregnancy and good health of the fetus,' says Dr Vadeyar.
Antibody testing for Rubella: The expectant mother is also checked for IgG antibody to Rubella or German measles, if she is immune to it. 'If she is not immune, a vaccination would be provided for the same. Ideally it is advised that she should not become pregnant post-vaccination, until the vaccine virus has cleared from her blood which takes about one month,' informs Dr Vadeyar.
Thyroid tests: Impaired thyroid functions can trigger infertility issues in a woman. In most cases the symptoms of a thyroid dysfunction are subtle and are only detected when one is tested for the same. 'A high TSH value may indicate a low level of thyroid function, which needs to be corrected during conception. If one conceives without addressing the problem it can also lead to lower IQ in the baby and affects neurodevelopment of the unborn baby inside the womb,' says Dr Vadeyar. Also read how thyroid dysfunction affects one pregnancy.
Thalassemia screening: This is done on both parents to check for the thalassemia gene. 'If by chance, both partners have the gene for this condition it is termed as thalassemia minor. Then they have a 25% risk of having a child affected with a condition called thalassemia major. If both parents are carriers, it is possible to check whether the unborn fetus is affected by thalassemia by prenatal diagnosis. But a prenatal diagnosis is only possible at 11-12 weeks of pregnancy by an invasive procedure,' says Dr Vadeyar. Read to know more about thalassemia causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention.
Vitamin deficiencies: Vitamin deficiencies are common in women. 'Low levels of vitamin D or B12 can come in the way of your pregnancy or pose troubles during lactation, it is necessary to correct these deficiencies either during pregnancy or during the conception phase itself,' says Dr Vadeyar. For more about pre-pregnancy counseling read here.
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
You may also like to read:
For more articles on pregnancy, visit our pregnancy section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter.And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.
