How Soon Should I Make An Appointment For Pregnancy

October 5, 2022

by Claire D

What Youll Be Asked

When should I make my first prenatal appointment?

Your midwife will ask you about:

you and your familys health

your relationship with your babys father or your partner to see whether you or they may need support
your mental health and how youre feeling including if youve had mental health difficulties before or if youre being treated for any now
whether you drink alcohol and if so how much if youve been drinking during pregnancy speak honestly to your midwife or GP

Give as much information as you can, as it means youll get the care thats best for you and your baby.

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Get Your Prenatal Care Started

Prenatal appointments are key to the care and treatment of people during pregnancy. The checkups and testing done at each visit are how your care team will ensure that you and your baby get the support you need at every stage. Whatever makes your pregnancy unique, you can be sure that when the big day rolls around, youll be ready.

To Make The Time Go By Faster Get A Head Start On Your First Visit By:

1. Reviewing your medical history:

We will ask you about your medical history, your partners medical history and your family history. This is to make sure you have the best prenatal care plan for you and your baby. Its also a good idea to bring a list of your current medications. Make sure to include any vitamins and over-the-counter medications youre taking.

2. Writing down your questions:

Its hard to remember everything! Write down your questions and bring them with you to your first appointment. Check out our suggested list of questions here.

3. Taking a prenatal vitamin:

There are many good options for over-the-counter prenatal vitamins. Look for one with at least 400mcg of folic acid and make sure it includes DHA, which is a supplement that can help promote brain and eye development. DHA is also found in fish, so adding low-mercury fish to your diet is beneficial for you and your baby.

4. Taking care of yourself:

Keep yourself hydrated, well-nourished and well-rested.

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A positive pregnancy test must be performed by the Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass prior to scheduling a limited ultrasound. 714 S.E. 8th Street, Grants Pass, Or, 97526Note: you may receive text message notification reminders related to your appointment on the mobile number provided . If you do not wish to receive text message reminder notifications, please call our office to schedule an appointment and inform us that you would not like to receive these reminder notifications.The best part of my experience was how easy it was to make appointments and its FREE!

You Need To Avoid Secondhand Smoke

You may not be a smoker, so you may not be concerned about smoke harming your baby. But Dr. Cannon points out that secondhand smoke can also pose a threat.

Not only is it harmful to smoke cigarettes and use e-cigarettes or , but cigars and pipes are potentially even more harmful because they arent inhaled and release greater amounts of smoke into the air. So if your partner or others around you do smoke, stay away and ask them not to do it around you.

Same goes for after you give birth, too: It can also make a newborn or infant more susceptible to asthma and sudden infant death syndrome , says Dr. Cannon.

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Make A Pregnancy Plan

Depending on where you want to give birth and who youll be seeing during your pregnancy, youll want to discuss a plan for who to call or where to go if you require medical attention. Most doctors and midwives will provide you with contact information if you experience cramping, bleeding or any other signs of concern.

What Questions Should I Ask At The First Prenatal Visit

Just as your provider will ask you questions at your first prenatal visit, it’s a good idea to come prepared with a list of questions for your provider. Ask anythingâdon’t be shy. Again, try to keep a running list in the weeks before the appointment, so nothing important slips your mind.

Here are some questions to consider if your provider doesn’t bring up the topic first.

Last but not least, ask about your next visit and schedule the appointment before leaving the office. Until your 28th week of pregnancy, you will likely see someone every four weeks or so. You may also want to ask whether future visits will be in-person or virtual. Certain practices offer virtual visits for low-risk patients, those who’s doctors aren’t close in proximity, or even higher-risk patients that need to be evaluated more often.

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March of Dimes. . Prenatal Care Checkups.

Kids Health. . Toxoplasmosis.

Regular Tests At Appointments

Visits will be shorter at the monthly check-ins that follow up to week 28. You can expect the following to take place at every appointment:

Blood pressure reading.
Measurement of your belly bump to monitor your babys growth.

This is all part of your ongoing assessment, says Dr. Jhaveri. Every one of these tests gives information that can be used to make sure you and your rapidly growing baby are as healthy as possible.

Magical moments start popping up in this stretch, too. Fetal Doppler devices typically start picking up your babys heartbeat around 10 weeks, and will become a regular soundtrack to your prenatal visits.

Come To Your Prenatal Visit Prepared

When should a pregnant woman have her first doctor visit and ultrasound?

If youre searching when should I go to a doctor for pregnancy, youre likely looking for information and support beyond a one-word answer.

Heres our advice: write down a list of all your questions and concerns you want to ask your doctor. Its easy to feel overwhelmed once you are at your appointment. If you have your questions prepared ahead of time, youll be able to address all of your concerns and not miss anything. Your doctor is there to support and guide you, so take advantage of that and ask away!

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Go To All Your Prenatal Care Checkups Even If Youre Feeling Fine

What is prenatal care and why is it important?

Prenatal care is medical care you get during pregnancy. At each visit, your health care provider checks on you and your growing baby. Call your provider and go for your first prenatal care checkup as soon as you know youre pregnant. And go to all your prenatal care checkups, even if youre feeling fine.

Getting early and regular prenatal care can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a full-term baby. Full term means your baby is born between 39 weeks and 40 weeks, 6 days . Being born full term gives your baby the right amount of time he needs in the womb to grow and develop.

Dont be afraid to talk to your provider about personal things. Your provider needs to know all about you so she can give you and your baby the best care. She asks lots of questions about you, your partner and your families. Your medical information and anything you tell her are confidential. This means she cant share them with anyone without your permission. So dont be afraid to tell her about things that may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, like if your partner hurts or scares you or if you smoke, drink alcohol, use street drugs or abuse prescription drugs.

Who can you go to for prenatal care?

You can get prenatal care from different kinds of providers:

Think about these things to help you choose a provider:

How often do you go for prenatal care checkups?

Most pregnant women can follow a schedule like this:

Be ready to talk with your provider about:

Prepare For Your First Prenatal Appointment

Once youve established your healthcare provider of choice and secured an appointment, what should you prepare? Bring a list of any supplements and medications youre taking, including their dosages, recommends Beth Murray-Davis, a registered midwife and an associate professor in the midwifery education program at McMaster University in Hamilton. Find out about your family history if you can. Did your mother or grandmother have any risk factors in pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes and hypertension? Does your partner or his family have a history of any genetic disorders? If youre pregnant with a donated sperm or egg or both, try to gather the donors medical history.

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Know What To Expect At Your First Prenatal Appointment

Your first prenatal visit is usually the longest unless you experience complications with your pregnancy.

Routine Procedures

At this appointment, your provider will take your medical history, check your weight and blood pressure, and perform blood tests. These blood tests will test your blood type, Rh factor, exposure to hepatitis and syphilis, and immunity to German measles.

Fetal Heartbeat

You may be able to hear your babys heartbeat at this appointment. However, if your prenatal appointment is on the earlierside, you may need to wait to hear your babys heartbeat. The fetal heartbeat is usually first detectable between 12 and 14 weeks.

HIV Testing

You may choose to take an HIV test during the early stages of your pregnancy. Any person who is sexually active is at least potentially at risk for HIV infection. Many people who are HIV positive do not belong to any particular high risk group, such as drug users.

HIV in pregnancy has potentially serious implications for mother and baby. We now have the capacity to offer medications in pregnancy to help prevent transmission of the virus to the baby. Obviously, we cannot offer medications unless we know your HIV status. Most women will have a normal or negative result and will be relieved by having this information. If you do test positive, we will help you in obtaining specialized care for both yourself and your baby.

Prenatal Care Plan

When You Can Expect To Hear Your Babys Heartbeat

Depending on when you have your first ultrasound, you may be able to hear your babys heartbeat at your first scan, when youre at least six to seven weeks. More commonly, your healthcare provider should be able to detect the babys heartbeat using a Doppler fetal monitor when youre 12 weeks along, so youll get to hear it for the first time then.

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Can I Bring Someone With Me

Its fine for your partner or a friend to come with you. Remember youre likely to be talking about some confidential and private things.

It’s up to you whether you’d feel more comfortable discussing these things in confidence with just your midwife, or if you’d prefer to have someone else that you trust there as well.

If you need an interpreter, make sure you or your partner tell your midwife before the appointment.

Translations and alternative formats of this information are available from Public Health Scotland.

To 12 Weeks: Booking Appointment

Its best to see your midwife or doctor as early as possible to get the information you need to have a healthy pregnancy.

Some tests, such as screening for sickle cell and thalassaemia, should be done before youre 10 weeks pregnant.

Your midwife or doctor should give you information about:

how the baby develops during pregnancy

nutrition and diet

ask about your mood to assess your mental health
ask about any past or present severe mental illness or psychiatric treatment

This appointment is an opportunity to tell your midwife or doctor if youre in a vulnerable situation or if you need extra support.

This could be because of domestic abuse or violence, sexual abuse or female genital mutilation .

FGM can cause problems during labour and childbirth, which can be life threatening for you and your baby.

Its important you tell your midwife or doctor if this has happened to you.

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Preparing Your Daughter For Her First Gynecological Exam

Moms, we strongly encourage you to openly discuss reproductive and sexual health with your daughters. Were here to help you with that discussion and process! We have pamphlets at our office that you can use to talk to your daughters about what to expect.

A common question were asked is, When should I bring my daughter in for her gynecological exam? You may be surprised to hear the answer because many of the recommendations may have changed since you were a teenager.

If your daughter doesnt have a particular concern regarding her period, risk for sexually transmitted infection, or need for birth control, she may not need a pelvic exam and HPV screening until she is 21. If she is using birth control for contraception or periods, she should have a visit at the doctors office, but she may not need a pelvic exam until age 21. Urine tests for STIs can be done without the need for a pelvic exam. If she does need a pelvic exam, reassure her that even though it is awkward, its not painful. The exams are very brief, and if it gets uncomfortable, we always stop and readjust.

About Your Booking Appointment

How can I help my pregnancy go well until my first doctor appointment?

The appointment can take a couple of hours and will usually take place in the community, though it may be necessary for you to go to hospital for your scan or if you need to see a doctor.

At this appointment you will be given a scan to confirm that you are pregnant and when you are due. You will also be given information about:

how the baby develops during pregnancy
nutrition and diet
your options for where to have your baby

your green maternity hand held record should be given to you at this visit

Screenings On The Early Schedule

Common tests during pregnancy also include a series of screenings that can provide information on your babys health. These include:

Noninvasive prenatal testing is typically available after 10 weeks of pregnancy. This blood test screens for genetic conditions such as Down syndrome, Trisomy 13 or Trisomy 18.
A quad screen is a blood test offered between weeks 15 and 20 to assess potential risks and development complications involving your babys brain, spinal cord and neural tissues.
A test for gestational diabetes is usually provided around weeks 24 to 28 to see if hormonal changes are pushing up blood sugar levels.

Time For You To Ask Lots Of Questions

Your first visit is a great time to ask your doctor as many questions as you can Youll also be informed of future testing that will be available to you, and be given a few pamphlets with important information about your prenatal care and pregnancy.

Because your first OBGyn appointment can be a little overwhelming, we recommend writing down any questions you can think of before your appointment. If your partner attends, they will be allowed to ask questions as well.

How Often Should I See My Doctor During Pregnancy

Ensure youre giving your baby the best possible start by maintaining the recommended schedule of prenatal visits during your pregnancy. While it may be challenging to fit ongoing office appointments into your busy schedule, prenatal visits are the best way to protect your health and the health of your baby.

In addition to providing support for physical changes, prenatal visits are also a good opportunity to address your questions and concerns about your body, your babys development, and the upcoming birth.

Your prenatal provider is an important resource for treatment, education, and support throughout your pregnancy. Our OB/GYNs at The Association for Womens Health Care have the expertise necessary to care for you and your unborn baby whether you have a normal or high-risk pregnancy.

Our team of pregnancy specialists provides comprehensive pregnancy services, from routine examinations to diagnostic testing, through all stages of pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes And Anemia: Between 26 To 28 Weeks

Diet and exercise can reduce your risk of gestational diabetes. However, some women still develop gestational diabetes for reasons that doctors do not fully understand. If you develop gestational diabetes, your doctor may recommend treatments ranging from diet adjustments to insulin injections. See this helpful Mayo Clinic guide for more information.

Anemia, or a lack of healthy red blood cells, often develops during pregnancy as your blood volume increases. This deficiency can usually be remedied with iron supplements or vitamins. See this American Pregnancy Association guide for more information.

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Determine Your Babys Due Date

At your first prenatal appointment, youll book some follow-up tests to confirm your pregnancy and your babys gestational age, or due date. Your healthcare provider will ask about your last menstrual cycle to help them determine how far along you are. Generally, if your periods are fairly regular and youre planning to do the first-trimester screening, you may not get an ultrasounduntil around 11 to 12 weeks, says Thorne. But if youre unsure or your periods are irregular, youll likely get a scan sooner.