Test Overview

An obstetric panel is a group of blood tests done to check your health before and during early pregnancy. The results of these tests can help find certain problems during the pregnancy. They can also help guide any treatment you may need during pregnancy or treatment the baby may need right after birth.

Blood type, Opens dialog, antibody, Opens dialog screening, and a complete blood count (CBC), Opens dialog are all part of an obstetric panel. Your doctor can check to see if you have Rh, Opens dialog-negative blood. If you have this blood type and your baby has Rh-positive blood, this is called Rh incompatibility, Opens dialog. Although it is not known for sure what the baby's blood type is, steps can be taken to prevent problems caused by the incompatibility.

Other tests in the panel show if an infection such as syphilis, Opens dialog or hepatitis B, Opens dialog is present. Another test can show if you are immune to rubella, Opens dialog. Rubella is also known as German measles. You will also be tested to see if you are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Opens dialog.