But sometimes it can be hard to know which test to get and what the results mean. Here’s a brief guide.

Pregnancy tests can give health care providers and parents information about the baby’s well-being and the pregnancy’s progress. They can show whether you are carrying twins or if your baby has a birth defect.

There are two types of prenatal tests: screening tests and diagnostic tests.

• Screening tests – These are safe, relatively inexpensive and a routine – but not required – part of prenatal care. Screening tests can identify if you or your baby is at higher risk for certain pregnancy problems or conditions. 

Examples: Triple screen or quad screen blood tests, nuchal translucency (NT) scans

• Diagnostic tests – These tend to be more invasive, expensive and riskier than screening tests. Your doctor may recommend a diagnostic test depending on your age, screening test results, and family and personal medical history. Diagnostic tests look for medical conditions that may require extra care during pregnancy or after delivery, such as fetal heart defect or maternal intrauterine infection.

Examples: Amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), some ultrasound exams

Doctors may also do fetal well-being tests, such as a fetal nonstress test or more ultrasounds, later in pregnancy to make sure your baby is okay.

While pregnancy tests may sound scary, most are routine and aren’t cause for alarm. According to a WiserPregnancy survey, 90% of women experience only some or no anxiety while waiting for the results. Overall, pregnancy tests cause only about 10% of women high or very high anxiety while they wait for test results.

 If your doctor recommends a certain test, ask why? Learn about the purpose, benefits, risks and how the test is done. Go back to your doctor with any questions or concerns before committing to the test. (For more information on pregnancy tests, check out our Research the Issues section.)

Which tests did your doctor recommend? Why did you choose to have the test or decline the test?

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For many moms-to-be, this includes opting out of some diagnostic tests.

According to a recent WiserPregnancy survey, less than 20% of women have either amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) – two tests that can tell parents if the baby has an increased risk of having a birth defect or inherited genetic problem.

That’s despite the statistic that 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth defect, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Interestingly, although the tests have about the same risk of miscarriage or complication, women have different reasons for declining the tests:

• 50% say no to CVS because they see no benefit in knowing the test results
• 30% are not comfortable with the risk for a miscarriage or complications associated with CVS
• 41% of women are not comfortable with the risk for a miscarriage or other complications associated with amniocentesis
• 35% say no to amniocentesis because they don’t see a benefit in knowing the results

About 6% of women surveyed had a CVS and 10% had or plan to have an amniocentesis.  The primary reason: Their doctors recommended it.

So when choosing between easing anxiety or putting their baby at risk, many couples live with their anxiety.

Did you get CVS or amniocentesis? Why did you decide to do it or decline it?

Related posts:

1. Prenatal Tests: Should You Get Them?
2. Top Concerns of Pregnant Women Revealed in New Survey
3. Medical Ultrasound Exams Common, Reassuring and Viewed Favorably by Women and Doctors