Health Checks In Pregnancy and Tests in Australia - A Guide

Overview

The following guide explains health checks during pregnancy and tests which Australian medical facilities perform. The discovery of pregnancy brings joy yet creates confusion because of upcoming medical tests. Your health status and foetal development progress become visible through scheduled medical evaluations, and it is important to detect any medical issues early to ensure a safe pregnancy. The Australian healthcare system provides standardised testing procedures which patients must undergo at particular pregnancy stages. These include mandatory screenings for all patients and optional screenings for others. Your healthcare provider may be a GP, midwife, obstetrician, or a combination of these professionals depending on your individual needs.

Australian healthcare system operates through a system of pregnancy care

The public healthcare system, commonly known as shared care, allows patients to receive care from their GP and hospital midwives. Medicare supports this system by providing free or low-cost medical services. Private obstetric care allows patients to choose their own obstetrician for continuous care; however, out-of-pocket costs usually apply. Medicare provides benefits for standard blood tests and ultrasound scans. While most tests are covered, some may require additional gap payments. New parents should book their first GP appointment soon after confirming pregnancy. The initial check-up usually occurs between weeks 8 and 10.

First Trimester

The first trimester includes health checks from week 0 to week 12. The following tests are part of standard first-trimester screening in Australia.

Test	What It Checks	Why It Matters
Blood type and Rh factor	Your blood group	Determines whether anti-D injections are required
Full blood count	Haemoglobin, iron, platelets	Helps detect anaemia
Rubella immunity	German measles protection	Infection during pregnancy can cause birth defects
Hepatitis B, C and HIV	Viral infections	Can be passed to the baby; early treatment is available
Syphilis	STI screening	Routinely tested due to rising cases; may be repeated later in pregnancy
Urine test	Infection, protein, glucose	Detects UTIs and other pregnancy-related conditions

A dating scan performed between weeks 6 and 10 confirms pregnancy location, detects foetal heartbeat, and estimates your due date. Medicare provides partial coverage for this scan. Genetic screening options also become available during this stage of pregnancy. Combined First Trimester Screening involves blood tests and a nuchal translucency ultrasound between weeks 10 and 13 and is covered by Medicare. Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) offers higher accuracy but is not Medicare-funded and typically costs between $400 and $600. Medicare now covers screening for conditions such as cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, and fragile X syndrome. These tests are screening tools only. High-risk results require follow-up diagnostic testing for confirmation.

Second Trimester

The second trimester includes health checks from week 13 to week 27. The morphology scan, usually performed between 18 and 22 weeks, is a detailed ultrasound that assesses the baby’s organs, spine, brain, limbs, placenta position, and amniotic fluid levels. The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) screens for gestational blood sugar between weeks 24 and 28. This test requires fasting for 8 to 12 hours, followed by drinking a 75g glucose solution. Blood samples are taken at one and two hours, and the entire test takes approximately 2–3 hours at the pathology centre. Gestational blood sugar affects around 10–18% of pregnancies in Australia. If diagnosed, your healthcare team will help manage blood sugar levels through diet, exercise, and medication if required. Blood pressure is monitored at every antenatal visit. Pre-eclampsia affects approximately 5–8% of pregnancies after week 20. Symptoms such as severe headaches, vision changes, sudden swelling of the face, hands, or feet, and upper abdominal pain require urgent medical attention.