Third trimester: 7 exams you should take at this stage

Third trimester exams, which comprise the 27th week of pregnancy until birth, are used to check the baby’s development and to make sure there will be no problems during birth.

At this final stage of pregnancy, in addition to exams, parents must also prepare for childbirth and, therefore, must start purchasing all the items that will be needed for the first few weeks, as well as taking a birth preparation course. , in order to know how to act when your water breaks and also learn how to take care of your baby’s first care.

At the end of pregnancy, from the 32nd week of pregnancy, the suitcase with the mother and baby’s layette must be ready, at the door of the house or in the trunk of the car, in case of any need. See what the trousseau suitcase should contain.

Tests that should be performed in the third trimester of pregnancy include:

1. Fetal ultrasound

• When to do: can be done at any time during pregnancy and more than once.

Ultrasound is one of the most frequently performed exams throughout pregnancy, as it allows you to assess the baby’s development inside the uterus, as well as determine if there is a problem with the placenta. Furthermore, this exam also helps to predict the likely date of delivery with greater accuracy.

While in some women, this test can be done only once, in others, it can be repeated regularly, especially if there is a special situation such as multiple pregnancy or vaginal bleeding at some point in the pregnancy.

2. Bacteria research streptococcus B

• When to do: normally between 35 and 37 weeks of pregnancy.

The bacteria streptococcus B is quite common in the reproductive tract and generally does not cause any type of problem or symptom in women. However, when this bacteria comes into contact with the baby during birth, it can cause serious infections such as meningitis, pneumonia or even an infection of the entire body.

Therefore, to avoid this type of complications, the obstetrician usually performs a test in which he passes a cotton swab into the woman’s genital region, which is then analyzed in the laboratory to identify whether there are bacteria of the type streptococcus B. If the result is positive, the pregnant woman usually needs to take antibiotics during birth to reduce the risk of passing the bacteria to the baby.

3. Baby’s biophysical profile

• When to do: is common after the 28th week of pregnancy.

This test allows you to evaluate the baby’s movements, as well as the amount of amniotic fluid. Therefore, if any of these values ​​are wrong, it could mean that the baby is experiencing a problem and may need to be delivered early.

4. Fetal heartbeat monitoring

• When to do: can be done at any time after 20 weeks.

This exam evaluates the baby’s heart rhythm in the womb and helps identify whether there is a problem with its development. This type of monitoring is also done during labor to ensure everything is going well, and can also be done several times after the 20th week of pregnancy.

5. Cardiotocografia

• When to do: after 32 weeks of pregnancy.

Cardiotocography is performed to evaluate the baby’s heartbeat and movements and, to do so, the doctor places a sensor on the mother’s belly that captures all the sounds. This exam takes between 20 and 30 minutes and can be done several times after 32 weeks, and is recommended once a month in cases of high-risk pregnancy.

6. Assessment of pregnant women’s blood pressure

• When to do: in all queries.

Blood pressure assessment is very important in prenatal consultations as it helps to keep blood pressure well monitored, preventing the development of pre-eclampsia. Generally, when the pressure is very high, pregnant women should make changes to their diet and exercise regularly. However, if this is not enough, the doctor may advise the use of some medications.

Understand better what pre-eclampsia is and how it is treated.

7. Stress test during contraction

• When to do: it is not done in all cases, it is decided by the doctor.

This exam is very similar to cardiotocography, as it also evaluates the baby’s heartbeat, however, it performs this evaluation while a contraction is taking place. This contraction is usually caused by the doctor by injecting oxytocin directly into the blood.

This exam also helps to assess the health of the placenta, as during a contraction the placenta must be able to maintain the correct blood flow, maintaining the baby’s heart rate. If this does not happen, the baby’s heart rate decreases, and therefore the baby may not be able to handle the stress of labor, and a cesarean section may be necessary.

In addition to these tests, the doctor may order others, depending on the pregnant woman’s health history and the development of diseases during pregnancy, especially to detect sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, which can cause problems such as premature birth and decreased development of the baby. fetus. See which are the 7 most common STDs during pregnancy.