Week 10 of pregnancy — what is happening and what to do

Week 10 is the last calm moment for planning first-trimester screening. The window for the genetic ultrasound together with the PAPP-A test is short and opens just after week 11, so it is worth setting the date now. This week covers the path of prenatal screening in the Polish system and preparing for the test itself.

How the prenatal screening program works

First-trimester prenatal screening in Poland is publicly funded and available to pregnant women — you do not need to be a certain age or have particular indications to qualify. The path starts with a referral from the doctor managing your pregnancy, who sends you to a facility that runs the program. It is worth asking which facilities in your city have a contract and what their waiting times are.

• Ask your doctor for a referral and for information on where the program is run.
• Ask whether the ultrasound and the blood draw can be done on the same day.
• Check how booking works and which documents to bring.
• Find out when and how you will receive the result.
• Make sure you know who will discuss the result with you and plan the next steps.

Preparing for the genetic ultrasound

A first-trimester ultrasound is done either through the abdominal wall or transvaginally — it depends on your week of pregnancy, the position of your uterus and the equipment the facility has. The scan takes longer than a routine ultrasound, because the doctor assesses many structures, including nuchal translucency, and records measurements. Preparation advice varies between facilities, so ask at reception.

• Ask whether your facility requires a full bladder or the opposite.
• Wear comfortable clothes that are easy to move off your belly.
• Bring your pregnancy notes and earlier test results.
• Bring a loved one if you want — this is often the first time you see your baby as a whole.

What to ask before the screening test

A screening test estimates probability; it does not diagnose a condition — a distinction worth keeping in mind before the conversation about the result. At your appointment you can ask what exactly will be assessed, how long the result takes and what the possible next steps are.

• What exactly does this test assess, and what does it not cover?
• How long does the result take and who will discuss it?
• What happens if the assessment comes out differently than you expected?
• Can the blood draw be done on the same day?
• Who should I turn to with questions after the test?

The ultrasound report and the blood test result — how not to get lost in them

The ultrasound report and the blood marker result are two documents that only together form a screening assessment. The values and abbreviations in the report make sense alongside your week of pregnancy and the other information, so they should not be interpreted on their own or compared with other people's reports. If the document contains wording you do not understand, write it down and ask for an explanation at your appointment — ideally along with whether the result changes anything in your care plan.

• Write down the abbreviations and wording you do not understand.
• Ask whether both parts of the test have already been combined into one assessment.
• Do not compare your report with other people's reports from the internet.
• Find out who will discuss the result and when.
• Ask for a copy of both documents for your records.

Records: pregnancy notes, online patient account and copies of reports

Your pregnancy notes gather the most important information about how your pregnancy is going and are kept by staff, but it is worth making sure every result ends up in the right place. Some documents are in the online patient account, but imaging reports do not appear there automatically — ask for a printout or a file. Keep one folder, paper or on your phone: referrals, reports and laboratory results in date order. At an appointment in a new facility such a set saves time and extra questions.

• Check that your pregnancy notes contain all the results so far.
• Ask for a copy of the ultrasound report if you did not get one straight away.
• Record test and appointment dates in a single calendar.
• Check in the online patient account which documents you have electronically.

A calendar of formalities for the coming weeks

Once the screening date is set, it is worth planning what happens around it: booking at the facility, how you will receive the result and the appointment where it will be discussed. Check whether a referral is needed and which documents to bring. Also put organizational matters in your calendar, such as a certificate for your employer, and settle how to contact the facility if a question comes up between visits.

• Book the test and confirm the date the day before.
• Find out how you will receive the result and who will discuss it.
• Plan the appointment where you will discuss the result.
• Check which documents your facility needs.
• Save the facility's phone number somewhere visible.