The
TORCH panel is used to screen for certain infectious diseases that can cause birth defects in a baby if the mother contracts them during the pregnancy. The blood tests that make up the panel are for
Toxoplasmosis,
Other infections (syphilis, hepatitis B, coxsackie virus, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, and human parvovirus),
Rubella,
Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and
Herpes simplex virus (HSV). Some of these are ordered individually, either before or in early pregnancy; the complete TORCH panel is less commonly ordered since more
specific and
sensitive tests to detect these infections are available.
Links
March of Dimes: Toxoplasmosis
CDC: Toxoplasmosis and Pregnancy: Facts and Prevention
