Your Complete Guide to Prenatal Testing and Screening in Bangladesh

Your Complete Guide to Prenatal Testing and Screening in Bangladesh

“Key Takeaway: Antenatal laboratory testing and diagnostic ultrasound scans are essential pillars of modern obstetric care. Systematically monitoring maternal haematology, endocrinology, glucose tolerance, and fetal organogenesis prevents complications and guarantees safe perinatal outcomes.

Trimester-by-Trimester Testing Roadmap

First Trimester Baseline Investigations (Weeks 1–13):

• Complete Blood Count (CBC): Screens for gestational anaemia and baseline platelet counts.

• Blood Grouping & Rh Typing: Identifies Rh-negative status requiring Anti-D prophylaxis.

• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): Evaluates maternal thyroid function crucial for early fetal neurodevelopment.

• Infectious Screening (HBsAg, VDRL, HIV) & Urine R/M/E: Excludes asymptomatic bacteriuria and transmissible pathogens.

• Early Dating Ultrasound (Weeks 6–8): Confirms intrauterine viability, gestational age, and embryonic cardiac activity.

Second Trimester Advanced Screening (Weeks 14–27):

• Fetal Anomaly Ultrasound Scan (Weeks 18–22): Detailed structural survey of fetal central nervous, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems.

• Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT - Weeks 24–28): Diagnostic benchmark for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).

Third Trimester Monitoring (Weeks 28–40+):

• Fetal Growth & Doppler Ultrasonography (Weeks 32–36): Measures estimated fetal weight, amniotic fluid volume (AFI), and umbilical artery Doppler flow.

• Repeat CBC & Urinalysis: Screens for pre-eclampsia (proteinuria) and pre-delivery hemoglobin readiness.