What are the routine blood tests?
A variety of blood tests are done at different stages of the pregnancy to check on the mother’s health and to avoid problems for the baby. At the start of pregnancy the following tests are usually done: • A full blood count (FBC): This is a simple test to ensure that the mother is not anaemic or deficient in iron. Most women become slightly anaemic in pregnancy but some may require iron supplements if the anaemia becomes too severe since otherwise they are likely to feel extremely tired. They may develop further problems if they were to lose a lot of blood during childbirth. This test is often repeated at various stages during the pregnancy. • Blood group: The mother’s blood group is checked in the event of her requiring blood during childbirth and is tested for the presence of any special antibodies (factors in the mother’s blood) which may harm the baby. • Rhesus factor: This is a part of the blood group test. Everyone is either rhesus positive or rhesus negative. It is an important
