Definition - What does obstetric panel mean?
An obstetric panel is a set of prenatal blood tests performed to collect information necessary to monitor and protect the health of pregnant woman and infants. Tests to determine the woman's blood type and detect the presence of various diseases are included in the standard obstetric panel.
When possible, the tests included in the obstetric panel will be performed either prior to a woman's attempts to conceive or at some point during the first trimester. An obstetric panel may also be called a prenatal panel.
SureHire explains obstetric panel
Many medical practitioners use what is referred to as current procedural terminology (CPT) to identify the tests and other procedures they perform on behalf of patients. While each of the prenatal tests included in the obstetric panel has an individual code, the CPT also provides for a single obstetric panel code that encompasses a specific set of tests. Since 2016, two obstetric panel sets have been available under this coding system, one with an HIV test and one without.
Physicians may choose to use this standardized panel or to order individual tests as a part of a customized obstetric panel.
Most obstetric panels will include a complete blood count (CBC) and a test to determine the woman's white blood cell count (WBC). The mother's blood will also be tested to determine if she is Rh positive or negative.
Because other diseases in addition to HIV can pose a risk to the fetus, an obstetric panel will also usually test for the antibodies that would indicate the presence of syphilis, rubella, and hepatitis in the mother's blood.
