Pre-pregnancy screening

An infection which is caused by the rubella virus. Rubella usually causes a mild illness. However, it can cause serious damage to the unborn child of a pregnant woman. Rubella immunisation is routinely given to children (as part of the MMR vaccine), but there are more and more children not being vaccinated. Unfortunately, this has caused an increased incidence of rubella infection.

Even if you have had a rubella immunisation, or have had rubella, there is still a small chance that your body has not made enough antibodies against the rubella virus to protect you. If you catch rubella in the first four months of pregnancy, it can seriously affect your baby’s sight and hearing, as well as causing brain and heart defects. The only way to check whether the immunisation has worked is to have a test to check your rubella antibody level. Because the congenital rubella syndrome is so important to avoid, if you are thinking about becoming pregnant for the first time, you should have a blood test to check that you are protected.

Women should have a blood test to check if they are immune to rubella, before their first pregnancy.

Chicken pox is a mild and common childhood illness that most children catch at some point, but adults can get it too. Chicken pox tends to be more severe in adults than children, and adults have a higher risk of developing complications. It causes a rash of red, itchy spots that turn into fluid-filled blisters. They then crust over to form scabs, which eventually drop off.

Catching chicken pox during pregnancy can cause serious complications, both for the pregnant woman (including lung problems, septicaemia and meningitis) and the unborn baby. The unborn baby can develop fetal varicella syndrome (FVS) causing scarring, eye defects, bladder or bowel problems, shortened arms and legs or brain damage. It is also possible that your baby may be born prematurely. If you catch chickenpox after 36 weeks, the baby may be infected and could be born with chicken pox.

Women should have a blood test to check if they are immune to chicken pox, before their first pregnancy.

If you are HIV positive, it is possible to transmit the virus to your baby during pregnancy and after birth.

Women should have a test to check if they are carrying the HIV infection before their pregnancy. If detected early enough, treatment can be started early and precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of passing the virus on to your baby.

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium chlamydia trachomatis. It is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK, often causes no symptoms, and can be passed on to others including your baby without you realising. Research suggests that 50% of men and 70-80% of women don’t get symptoms at all with a chlamydia infection.

The infection can cause complications in pregnancy and for newborn babies. Chlamydia is linked to miscarriage, amniotic fluid infection and premature labour. It can also be passed to your baby during birth, causing eye infections or pneumonia in the baby.

Women should have a test to check if they are carrying the chlamydia infection before their pregnancy. If picked up whilst pregnant, the treatment options may be limited and not as effective if treated before getting pregnant.