By Lori Morris, CNM, certified nurse-midwife and women's health coach

Routine prenatal tests can label a healthy pregnancy "high risk" because of false positives and incidental findings that don't mean much in real life. Once you have that label, you can lose options like a birth center or home birth and end up with interventions you didn't need. Before you agree to any test, ask what it measures, how accurate it is, and whether the result would change what you do.

Most of us go into prenatal care not knowing what to expect. They tell you they're going to do a slew of labs and tests, and you go along with it, because there's no harm in checking, right? But what if a test you barely thought about brings back a result that knocks you out of your birth plan for no good reason? It happens a lot, and you deserve to know before you consent.

I can't cover every test here. There are too many. My online Christian childbirth course goes through them in detail so you can decide which ones you want. But here are a few that cause trouble most often.

Yes, you'll still be tested for syphilis in pregnancy. During my first pregnancy, my labs came back positive. Even with my background in maternity care, I didn't know what it meant. I panicked, the health department called, and my husband and I both had to get painful penicillin G shots once a week for three weeks. It turned out to be a false positive.

Here's the reality. About 83% of syphilis cases are in men, and the screening produces 1,998 false positives for every 2 true positives. That's a lot of women put through stress and treatment they didn't need.

Most women are given a sugary drink and have their blood drawn, sometimes several times. But:

Eating balanced protein and carbs all through pregnancy is a natural, preventive approach the system often overlooks. Ask your provider about alternatives to the drink. Read more in My Thoughts About Gestational Diabetes and Metabolic Dysfunction, and see Real Food for Gestational Diabetes by Lily Nichols.

GBS is a normal bacteria that lives in the gut and vagina. About 10 to 30% of women carry it. Only 1 to 2% of babies born to GBS-positive moms develop complications, and early-onset GBS affects about 2 to 6 babies per 10,000.

Even so, a positive test usually means IV antibiotics in labor. Those antibiotics can cause yeast infections and thrush and contribute to resistant bacteria. A positive result can also take home birth off the table.

I also recommend Group B Strep Explained by Dr. Sara Wickham.

Third-trimester ultrasounds, especially for placenta position or the baby's estimated weight, can cause a lot of needless stress. At my 20-week anatomy scan, I was told I had placenta previa. Instead of going back for scans every four weeks, I waited until term. My placenta had moved, and I had my planned home birth.

Ultrasound weight estimates can be off by a pound or two, and that alone leads to fear and unnecessary induction for "big babies." Read more in Is Ultrasound Safe in Pregnancy?

The book Optimal Care in Childbirth explains that a normal routine test may add only about 0.4% more reassurance, while false positives can lead to unnecessary inductions and C-sections.

Before any test, ask:

Pregnancy is a normal process God designed. Some tests can be helpful, but they can also bring stress, fear, and interventions you never needed. Seek knowledge, pray, and make the choice that honors God's design for your body and your baby.

Can prenatal tests give false positives?
Yes. Screening tests like syphilis screening, the glucose test, and ultrasounds can all flag problems that turn out not to exist, and that can label a healthy pregnancy high risk.

Can I decline routine prenatal tests?
Yes. Every test is your choice. Ask what it checks for, how accurate it is, and whether the result would change your care before you agree.

What happens if I test positive for GBS?
Most providers will recommend IV antibiotics in labor. Some women look into ways to lower colonization before testing, and some discuss alternatives with their provider. Talk through your options ahead of time.

If you've been labeled high risk and want a second set of eyes on your results, my Prenatal Case Review can help. You'll also find coaching options on my Menu of Services, or you can email me at lori@morriswellnessservices.com.

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You can listen to the full episode of If Mama Ain't Healthy (Ain't Nobody Healthy) at the top of this page.