Antenatal defintion
Antenatal describes the period between conception and birth. The care provided during this period is varied in nature, but focuses on assessing whether the unborn baby is developing normally, as well as monitoring the health of the mother.
Screening tests reveal how likely a baby is to develop certain conditions. An obstetric ultrasound scan is one way a doctor checks on the development of the unborn baby.
Examples of diagnostic screening tests include amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS).
Most women will not need these kinds of test, as the majority of babies develop normally.
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