Blood tests in subsequent pregnancies?

[Toms Mummy]

Hi

I have a question for those who have been pregnant more than once.

I remember having many blood tests during my 1st pregnancy, I hated them! So I wondered if they had to do them the 2nd time? Did you have them? Or can they refer back to your notes from last time?

Thanks x

 

[aimee-lou]

There's one at the start to check FBC (full blood count) and also your blood type etc. It's recommended you have these - they can pick up on things like thyroid complications, iron deficiencies etc. You don't have to have the 15 week one as that's the triple test so that's optional. There's normally a test at about 28 weeks to check to anaemia which is important and is a then and now type thing. That's about it I think.

I have hypothyroidism, so have to have a test every 4-6 weeks throughout pregnancy and for 6 months after too. I also have to have a GTT (had 2 with Eddy) which is 4 blood tests in 3 hours!

 

[Toms Mummy]

Oh, I was afraid of that! Boo! I suppose I'll just have to grin and bear them

Thanks x

 

[R8ch]

Yup, here we have 2 lots minimum as well - first lot at around 12 weeks for initial checks and tests (including any screening e.g. for trisomy/Downs, etc if you consent) and second lot at 28 weeks for my lucozade/glucose test to check for GD, general blood work and blood type check in case for the need of transfusion.
Slightly annoying if you hate needles, yes, but super important
Rx

 

[alicecooper]

I've always had to have them done, despite being on my fourth pregnancy. I told them I could quite happily tell them my blood type, and I know damn well I have nothing like HIV or whatever, but they insisted they are necessary anyway.

 

[OmiOmen]

You tend to have them done at about 12 and 28 weeks in the UK if you have a low risk pregnancy. You can refuse to have them if you want but it really is better to check these things out and the results can change between pregnancies.

Personally I don't think two lots are so bad even though I dislike needles. Due to a high risk pregnancy last time I had to have at the very least least 2 blood tests a week from the mid-end of the second trimester onwards. I can't help but think that getting to 28 weeks and only having two lots of blood tests and two lots of immunisations is pretty good going.

 

[Toms Mummy]

I've always had to have them done, despite being on my fourth pregnancy. I told them I could quite happily tell them my blood type, and I know damn well I have nothing like HIV or whatever, but they insisted they are necessary anyway.

See this was what I was worried about, why do the unnesessary ones like blood type and hiv test if they already have record of them? The other one I understand!

 

[R8ch]

I suppose it's just a blanket policy so that they have full up to date information for all ladies (and some tests will be done at the same time as others) - don't forget, not everyone may tell the truth (r.e. HIV exposure etc)
Rx

 

[Toms Mummy]

Yeah, I spoke to my midwife about it yesterday, she says that it's possible to gain things such as extra proteins in different pregnancies, so it's safest to just do the same tests x

 

[amjon]

They usually repeat them all in every pregnancy. They did skip the initial blood tests for me this time though as I had just had them a few months prior in my MC pregnancy and she didn't see a need to redo them. (I had a CBC at the hematologist though.)