Certain infectious diseases can pose serious risks to you and your baby. Check your immunity before you get pregnant.
If you are planning a pregnancy, your health care provider may do a blood test to check your immunity to certain diseases like Rubella and Chicken Pox. If you are not immune, it is best to be vaccinated before you get pregnant to reduce serious risks to your baby should you be exposed to these infections during your pregnancy.
You may also discuss other infectious diseases that are especially dangerous to women during pregnancy, these are: toxoplasmosis (contracted from cat litter or undercooked meat), parvovirus B19 (Fifth Disease, a common childhood infection), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Herpes. Your health care provider may suggest blood tests to determine if you have antibodies against these infections, but generally, these are not routine tests.
