There are several things that need to be completed to plan a safe pregnancy, one of which is taking a series of medical examinations. One of the health tests that needs to be carried out is the TORCH test.

The TORCH test is a blood test that can assist in diagnosing five forms of diseases, namely Toxoplasmosis, Other (other illnesses), Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes simplex virus (HSV). These five infections can cause major difficulties during pregnancy, which may harm the health of the baby.

What is a TORCH test?

The TORCH test screens for several medical conditions, including toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and other infectious diseases.

This test detects the presence of antibodies, which are produced when the body is infected with viruses or germs that cause disease. People who have had a past TORCH infection can have IgG antibodies found, whereas individuals with an acute infection can have IgM antibodies detected.

Premature birth, miscarriage, and birth deformities are just a few of the major issues that can arise in the fetus when viruses, including toxoplasmosis, rubella, CMV, or HSV, attack during pregnancy.

Read more: When Does An Ultrasound Examination Need On Pregnancy?

The Importance of the TORCH Test in Planning a Pregnancy

It's necessary to perform a TORCH test before conception in order to detect diseases that may have an impact on the growing baby's health. Pregnancy planning should take the TORCH test into account for a number of reasons, such as:

Lowers the risk of pregnancy problems

If one of the TORCH infections is identified before pregnancy, the doctor may provide antibiotics, antiparasitics, or antivirals to treat the infection. Meanwhile, if a toxoplasmosis infection is found during pregnancy, the doctor may prescribe medicine to lower the chance of transmission to the baby.

Prevent transmission to the baby

One of the primary purposes of the TORCH test is to keep infection from spreading from mother to baby. Several TORCH diseases, including CMV and HSV, can spread from an infected mother to the baby during delivery or via the placenta. Knowing the infection status allows medical personnel to take action to mitigate the risk.

Read more: Steps Using Pregnancy Tespects (Test Pack) Properly

Vaccination Planning

If the test results suggest that you are not immune to conditions like rubella, you can be vaccinated before pregnancy. Vaccination is essential because rubella can cause major birth abnormalities in the baby, particularly if the mother becomes infected during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Avoid the risk of environmental transmission

With the TORCH test findings, you and your spouse can take preventative measures and be more cautious in everyday life. For example, if you have never been exposed to toxoplasmosis, you should avoid eating raw food and coming into contact with cat stool.

Optimize pregnancy preparation

The TORCH test can provide valuable information about your reproductive health, particularly in terms of infections that may impair pregnancy. Knowing your health status allows you to optimize your pregnancy preparations, resulting in a healthy pregnancy for the baby as well as the mother.

The TORCH test is an important step in planning a safe pregnancy. If you are interested in knowing more about this test, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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