During your pregnancy, you may choose to have prenatal screening tests. Prenatal tests can diagnose certain birth anomalies and genetic abnormalities. In some cases, doctors may even be able to treat your baby before it’s born. Knowing about potential problems ahead of time also lets you prepare for any special medical care your baby may need later.
Here’s what you need to know about our prenatal screening, diagnostics, and treatment services.
Fetal diagnostics are tests that a baby gets before birth, while it's still in the uterus. They look at cells from the amniotic fluid, placenta, or fetal blood.
These tests can tell doctors whether your baby will be born with a birth anomaly or genetic condition, such as Down syndrome.
Doctors often suggest fetal diagnostic tests after a prenatal screening test shows the chance of a problem is likely.
Prenatal screening tests reveal the risk of having a baby with certain problems. They don't diagnose a disease or condition and are generally less invasive than fetal diagnostic tests.
In some prenatal screening tests, doctors use blood samples from a pregnant person to screen for genetic disorders and birth anomalies. They may also use ultrasound or other screening techniques. If your screening test shows your baby is at risk for a problem, your doctor may recommend following up with fetal diagnostic tests.
In addition to screening for and diagnosing prenatal problems, doctors at UPMC have the capability to treat some conditions in utero, meaning while the fetus is still in the womb.
Newly developed surgical techniques allow small needles and cameras to enter the uterus to reach the fetus. Some problems can be addressed before birth so babies are born healthier and need fewer medical interventions later.
Some of the conditions our experts manage in utero include:
Once our doctors diagnose a problem, they meet with a multidisciplinary team of pediatric specialists to develop a treatment plan.
Your care team may consist of highly trained experts in:
We offer a range of cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment services.
Your doctor may recommend prenatal screening procedures and tests at different times throughout your pregnancy.
The choice of whether to have any prenatal tests is up to you. Doctors can treat some birth anomalies in utero. For conditions they can’t treat, such as Down syndrome, parents may feel more prepared if they know about the condition before birth.
Here's a general timeline for some of the most common types of prenatal testing.
If you use in vitro fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant, doctors may test the embryo for problems before it's transferred to the uterus.
There are two main types of prenatal diagnostic procedures. Prenatal screening looks for risk factors, while fetal diagnostic tests can often pinpoint specific conditions.
Prenatal screening tests indicate the risk — not the certainty — that your baby will have an inherited condition or birth anomaly. Some tests may come back with a false positive or false negative. It’s important to discuss all test results with your doctor.
Prenatal screening tests include:
Fetal diagnostic tests can pinpoint a problem with greater certainty than screening tests. However, they have a greater chance of side effects, including miscarriage.
The most common prenatal diagnostic tests are:
Two of the most common surgeries we perform are for fetal anemia and twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital has a long history of excellence in fetal diagnosis and treatment. We are one of the most advanced fetal diagnostic centers in the U.S. Our maternal-fetal care teams have training in the latest cutting-edge techniques.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services designated UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital as a National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. The hospital’s Level III neonatal intensive care unit is the largest in Pa. We treat more than 1,500 seriously or critically ill newborns every year.
Last reviewed by Sami P. Makaroun, MD and Stephen P. Emery, MD on 2024-09-05.
