Ready for Pregnancy
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Pre-Pregnancy, Pregnancy, and Post-Pregnancy Tests
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Pre-Pregnancy Screening Package
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This package evaluates conditions like anemia, blood group, diabetes, and infectious diseases before pregnancy. Click for more information.
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Genetic Carrier Screening Package for Parents
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Prospective parents can find out whether they are carriers of a genetic disease with the GeneScreen Carrier Test. The test is sent to Italy. Click for more information.
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NIPT Test at the 10th Week of Pregnancy
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At the 10th week of pregnancy, a simple blood sample taken from the mother can detect chromosomal abnormalities in the baby. The test is sent to Italy. Click for more information.
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All Blood Tests Required During Pregnancy
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You can have all pregnancy-related tests requested by your doctor performed in our internationally ISO 15189 accredited laboratories!
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Cord Blood Banking at Birth
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One of the best investments for your baby’s future might be to store cord blood with ONKIM. Your cord blood can be safely stored in Istanbul under Sabancı assurance. Click for more information.
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Take Folic Acid Supplements
If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, daily folic acid supplementation is recommended.
You should take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before conception and until the 12th week of pregnancy.
Folic acid reduces the risk of your baby developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Neural tube defects occur when the baby’s spinal cord (part of the nervous system) does not form properly.
In the following situations, a higher dose of 5 milligrams (5 mg) of folic acid daily may be recommended:
- You or the baby’s other biological parent has a neural tube defect
- You’ve had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect
- There’s a family history of neural tube defects
- You have diabetes
Quit Smoking
Smoking during pregnancy is associated with:
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Miscarriage
Quitting can be difficult, but support is available. Secondhand smoke also harms your baby, so ask your partner, friends, and family not to smoke around you.
Avoid Alcohol
If you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, don’t drink alcohol. Alcohol can pass to your unborn baby.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause long-term health problems in your baby. The more you drink, the higher the risk.
Learn more about alcohol and pregnancy.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Being overweight may make it harder to conceive and fertility treatments may be less effective.
Being overweight (BMI over 25) or obese (BMI over 30) increases risks for pregnancy complications like high blood pressure, deep vein thrombosis, miscarriage, and gestational diabetes.
Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) before pregnancy, but note it may not be accurate during pregnancy. Always consult your midwife or doctor.
Healthy eating and moderate exercise are recommended during pregnancy. Avoiding excessive weight gain is important.
Know Which Medications Are Safe
Not all medications are safe during pregnancy or while planning to conceive — whether prescription or over-the-counter.
If you’re taking prescription medications and planning to get pregnant, consult your doctor.
Don’t stop taking medications without medical advice.
Vaccinations and Infections
Some infections, like rubella (German measles), can harm your baby if contracted during pregnancy.
Most people are immune thanks to the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.
If you haven’t had two doses of MMR or are unsure, ask your family doctor to check your vaccination history.
If you haven’t had both doses or have no records, you can get vaccinated by your GP.
Avoid pregnancy for one month after receiving the MMR vaccine — use reliable birth control.
Talk to Your Doctor If You Have a Chronic Condition
Chronic conditions like epilepsy or diabetes can influence pregnancy decisions — such as where to give birth.
Consult your specialist before becoming pregnant.
Don’t stop taking prescribed medications without medical advice.
Thinking About Growing Your Family?
Carrier screening tests help couples make informed reproductive decisions. Prospective parents or pregnant individuals can learn if they carry genetic conditions through the GeneScreen Carrier Test.
Carrier screening is a simple blood test to determine if someone is a carrier for autosomal recessive or X-linked genetic diseases.
It can be done at any time before or during pregnancy. Knowing your carrier status before conceiving helps informed planning.
Being a carrier means having one mutated copy of a gene. If both parents carry the same condition, there’s a 25% chance the child may be affected in each pregnancy. If a woman carries an X-linked condition, there’s a 50% chance of passing it to each child. If the child is male and inherits the mutation, he will be affected.
Why GeneScreen Carrier Screening Tests Are Important
In 80% of couples who have children with genetic recessive disorders, neither parent shows any symptoms.
1 in 550 pregnancies is affected by one of the diseases screened in the GeneScreen panel.
Studies show that approximately 1 in 4 people carry at least one gene mutation, and 1 in 20 carry multiple. 88% had no prior family history, and 1 in 240 couples were at high risk of having a child with a genetic mutation.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends expanded carrier screening as the most consistent and suitable strategy, regardless of family history or ethnicity.
With GeneScreen by Eurofins, you can take informed steps into the future. Diseases such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, SMA, and cystic fibrosis are among those screened. Click for a detailed list.
WE’RE WITH YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR PREGNANCY JOURNEY — FROM PLANNING TO DELIVERY
At Wellcare Laboratories, our expert team is by your side with high service quality and advanced technology from the planning phase to delivery. With our pre-pregnancy screening package, you can be assessed for anemia, thyroid disorders, past infections, and blood group.
We are here to help you make informed reproductive decisions through comprehensive screening services.
START PREPARING FOR YOUR FUTURE
Routine carrier screening is recommended for every couple planning a baby, regardless of family history. It helps you learn about chromosomal abnormalities in your family and guides solid planning for the future.
GeneScreen provides insight into the risk of passing serious genetic diseases to your child, laying the foundation for informed reproductive decisions.
Week 10 of Pregnancy: NIPT – A Step Toward the Future!
Mothers start planning their child’s future from the early days of pregnancy — and the first step is health.
If you’ve reached the 10th week, it’s time to take action for your baby’s health. Leave your worries behind! Genetic monitoring is important during pregnancy. NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing), a simple and effective genetic test, can help detect chromosomal disorders in your baby.
Safe, Fast, and Practical NIPT for Peaceful Pregnancy
In the NIPT test, a blood sample from the expectant mother is analyzed for fetal DNA to detect anomalies.
Primarily used for detecting trisomies 13, 18, and 21, NIPT from Eurofins can also screen rare chromosomal abnormalities including all deletions and duplications over 7 Mb. It’s the best available test for twin pregnancies and also safe for IVF pregnancies — offering peace of mind and avoiding unnecessary invasive procedures, especially in advanced maternal age.
- Negative result: Low risk of the tested anomalies. Your doctor will advise if further tests are needed.
- Positive result: High suspicion of an anomaly. Your doctor will recommend additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.
We offer the Eurofins NIPT Test, backed by global experience and expert medical references, following ACOG and SMFM guidelines.
Invest in the Future While Preparing for Birth and Baby
Cord blood and tissue banking with ONKIM may be your only chance at the time of birth.
Cord blood, collected from the umbilical cord after birth, is rich in stem cells. After the cord is cut, blood is drawn into a special bag with anticoagulant fluid. The umbilical cord, which nourished the baby and maintained communication with the mother, is discarded with the placenta.
Recent research shows the cord tissue is rich in mesenchymal stem cells.
Cord blood stem cells can be used to treat diseases such as GvHD (Graft-versus-host disease). They may help regenerate tissues affected by bone, cartilage, fat, nerve, and connective tissue damage. Approved by the FDA and others for organ transplants, they're being researched for conditions like cerebral palsy, autism, childhood hearing loss, Type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteogenesis imperfecta.
SECURE YOUR FUTURE WITH CORD BLOOD