How Soon Should You Go To The Doctor When Pregnant

How Many Prenatal Visits Should I Have

So you’re pregnant, now what?! OB/GYN Advice for a safe and healthy pregnancy

If you recently learned that youre pregnant, congratulations!

Youll probably be seeing the doctor more often than usual over the next nine months. But how often should you plan to go in?

Heres a general appointment schedule for uncomplicated pregnancies, broken down by trimester. Weve also included a list of common prenatal tests and vaccines youll want to check off your list before welcoming your baby.

Remember, every pregnancy is different, and this is just a general guide. Ask your doctor if you have questions about your specific prenatal care plan.

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Why Is Prenatal Care Important

Regular appointments with your health care provider throughout your pregnancy are important to ensure the health of you and your baby. In addition to medical care, prenatal care includes education on pregnancy and childbirth, plus counseling and support.

Frequent visits with your health care provider allow you to follow the progress of your baby’s development. Visits also give you the opportunity to ask questions. Also, most health care providers welcome your partner at each visit, as well as interested family members.

When Should I See A Specialist For My Pregnancy

Although the majority of pregnant women wait at least eight weeks before making their first consultation with a specialist, it is a good idea to schedule one as soon as possible following a positive pregnancy test so that you may get the most out of your pregnancy.You are also welcome to become a member of our Cloudnine Community in order to participate in discussions and obtain further information about topics such as First Timers, Consultation, and Nutrition.

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Antenatal And Maternity Care Appointments

Your appointments may be changed by your GP or maternity unit or hospital depending on your situation.

Youll have more appointments if youre diagnosed with a pregnancy-related condition like high blood pressure or gestational diabetes or if you are pregnant with twins or multiple babies. These appointments will be with your GP, hospital or both. Additional appointments for pregnancy-related conditions are covered by the Maternity and Infant Care scheme.

The scheme does not cover appointments for illnesses that are not related to your pregnancy.

True Labor Vs False Labor

Is 36 weeks pregnant with abdominal stiffness a sign of going into ...

Sometimes you may think youre starting labor, but its just a false alarm. You might feel contractions, but your cervix is not dilating or effacing.

False labor can be pretty convincing and its fairly common. A 2017 medical study found that more than 40 percent of pregnant women had false labor when they thought they were in labor.

False labor typically happens pretty close to your due date, at 37 weeks of later. This makes it even more confusing. You may have contractions for up to several hours that happen at regular intervals. False labor contractions are also called Braxton-Hicks contractions.

The difference between false labor and true labor is that false labor contractions wont make your cervix open up. You cant measure down there, but you might be able to tell if you are in false or true labor by checking your symptoms:

Symptom

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How Should I Prepare For My First Pregnancy Appointment

Once the date is on your calendar, do a little prep work to make the most of your visit. These tips are a great place to start:

Make a list of key health facts. Your practitioner will want to discuss all the details of your medical history, so check your records at home or call your primary care doctor for a refresh. Come prepared with at least some basics about:

  • Your personal medical history: immunizations you’ve had, previous major illnesses or surgeries, known allergies including drug allergies
  • Your mental health history: any history of depression, anxiety disorder or other mental health disorders
  • Your gynecological history: age of your first period, details about your cycle, whether you have problems with PMS or PMDD, prior gynecological surgeries, history of abnormal Pap smears or STDs
  • Your obstetrical history: previous pregnancies, including pregnancy complications or losses and details about previous deliveries
  • Potential disease exposure: Any contagious diseases you may have been exposed to

Take stock of your medicine cabinet. Your OB/GYN or midwife will also want to know the names and possibly the dosages of any medications and supplements you take .

Find out about health conditions that run in your and your partners families. Learn what illnesses your family has a history of, so you can clue in your practitioner from the get-go.

When Should You See A Doctor

How soon do you need to see a doctor if youre pregnant? Even if a home pregnancy test confirms youre pregnant, you still need to make an appointment with an Ob/Gyn. The American Pregnancy Association recommends you make an appointment with your doctor for your first prenatal visit within eight weeks of your last menstrual period . Even if youve been pregnant before, every pregnancy and every baby is different. Thats why starting out with the best care, and following your doctors advice for prenatal care, including regular appointments, is critical to the health of both you and your baby.

If you just found out that youre pregnant, your first will help you and your Ob/Gyn discover things like:

  • Any potential hereditary, health-related, or age-related pregnancy risk factors
  • Your family health history
  • Your best schedule of prenatal care

After that, youll set up how often youll need to see your doctor and how to recognize any potential emergencies. The typical prenatal schedule of visits often looks like this:

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What If Your Family Doctor Isnt Available

Some doctors, particularly those who are in high demand or who are only working part-time, can be booked out up to one week in advance. If your family doctor isnt available immediately and you dont want to wait, consider making an appointment with another local doctor. He or she will be able to confirm your positive pregnancy test and help to answer any initial questions or concerns that you may have.

When Should I Go To The Doctor For Pregnancy

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

When should you see a doctor?

  • First Trimester. During the first 4 to 28 weeks of your pregnancy, you will need to see your doctor once a month.
  • Second Trimester. During the second trimester weeks 28 to 36, your prenatal visits will increase to once every two weeks.
  • Third Trimester.

When should you start seeing a doctor for pregnancy? Doctors like to perform the first visit sometime between 6 and 8 weeks of pregnancy. Because you will likely be 4-5 weeks pregnant when you first miss your period, calling your physician immediately will allow you to be seen during that preferred window.

When should I go to the doctor after getting pregnant? Doctors Appointment Most women do not prefer to visit a specialist until they are at least eight weeks pregnant, but consulting an appointment after a positive pregnancy test is always a wise idea to start your pregnancy.

When should I go to the doctor to see if I am pregnant? It is best to see your gynaecologist or obstetrician as soon as you can once you find out you are pregnant. You should preferably have your first appointment before you complete 10 weeks. By 10 weeks, the doctor will be able to detect your babys heartbeat, determine how many embryos there are and see whether the embryo is implanted properly in your womb.

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What Will The Doctor Do At Your First Appointment

At your first prenatal GP appointment, your doctor will ask you to take another pregnancy test to confirm your pregnancy and may also request blood tests as well. Your doctor will discuss your prenatal care options and considerations, including whether you will choose public or private healthcare, and which hospital youd like to have your baby at.

Youll be given plenty of information and resources as well as pamphlets and leaflets to help you decide on your care options and research your pregnancy health in detail. Your doctor will also discuss your prenatal health management and what you should avoid, including dietary considerations.

If you decide to have your baby as a private patient, your doctor will be able to give you a referral to the obstetrician of your choice. If you dont have private health insurance or choose to have your baby in the public system, youll be informed of your options, which include shared care, midwifery teams and GP care.

How accurate are home pregnancy tests?

Home pregnancy tests can be quite accurate, depending on a few factors. Firstly, the directions must be properly followed and also remember to check the expiration date on the test. Also, testing a urine sample first thing in the morning may improve the accuracy of the test.

Pick Up Some Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are important for both your health and your babys health. If your doctor did not call in a prescription, pick some up or order some online.

We ultimately ordered my daughters from Amazon because she liked the gummy version.

Then, we took them with us to the doctors appointment to make sure that they were acceptable.

  • From Americas #1 Gummy Vitamin Brand
  • Gentle on the stomach with no iron added
  • Made with high-quality, purified fish oil that has been tested for mercury and PCBs.
  • Contains NO high-fructose corn syrup, NO gluten and NO synthetic dyes

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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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.

How Soon Should I See A Doctor When Pregnant

When To See A Doctor During Pregnancy

by Amber Dixon

Were supported by moms. When you buy through links on our site, As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission.

As soon as you see the positive results of an at-home pregnancy test youre going to feel a whirlwind of emotions. Some of those will be happy, and some might involve feeling nervous.

Youre also bound to have an indefinite list of questions. One of the most common questions that mothers wonder about is when to see the doctor.

You should schedule your first appointment as soon as you can. There are quite a few reasons behind this.

  • 3 In Conclusion
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    If Its Been Awhile Since Your Last Gyno Visit You Need One

    Its recommended that females take a trip to the gynecologist yearly for a pap smear and STD testing if they are sexually active. Even if you arent sexually active, a pap smear is still an important part of health.

    However, when you dont have medical insurance and arent located in a city that has a free clinic that doesnt always happen.

    If you had to put them off, simply didnt care, or werent able to get to the appointment, its time to have one now. When you arent healthy, it can affect your pregnancy and your baby.

    Youll Have Someone To Call If You Have Questions

    When you find out youre pregnant, youre going to be full of questions. Youll wonder if the stomach cramps are normal. If youre spotting you might feel concerned.

    When you already have an appointment scheduled, you can give your doctor a call any time with questions, even if you havent been to your first appointment yet.

    Having a nurse just a phone call away to address your concerns can help ease any anxiety you might have.

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    Information That Will Help You

    Your midwife or GP will give you information during this appointment to help you keep healthy and ensure you have good support and care.

    This includes:

    • help to stop smoking or drinking alcohol
    • advice about healthy eating, exercise and weight gain expectations
    • letting you know which vitamins and minerals you should take or avoid during pregnancy
    • referrals to support services or professional help if you need them
    • answering questions about issues that worry or concern you
    • letting you know if you have a higher risk pregnancy and what can help reduce or remove this risk

    Occasionally, a pregnancy starts off normally but develops a problem later so the relevant information may not be available during this first visit. It’s always a good idea to remain flexible.

    When Should I Go To The Hospital During Pregnancy

    5 Things Your Gynecologist Wants You To Know: Getting Pregnant

    It is possible that your doctor or midwife would advise you to go to the hospital as soon as you are experiencing active labor if you are carrying a high-risk pregnancy.You may not need to rush things if your pregnancy has been going normally your midwife and doctor will provide you with instructions based on the results of your most recent prenatal exam .

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    Gynecologist Exams Prenatal Care And More: When Should You See Your Obgyn

    Gynecologist, obstetrician , or primary care physician which doctor should you see and when?

    To know which type of physician you should visit, its important to understand the difference between them and what they specialize in.

    What is a primary care provider?

    A primary care provider is focused on the whole patient, specializing in family medicine, internal medicine or pediatrics. They are often at the center of your health journey and will refer you to other specialists as needed.

    What is a gynecologist?

    A gynecologist is a primary care physician who specializes in womens health needs, reproductive health, and womens health after menopause. Gynecologists also perform minimally invasive surgeries including hysterectomies, removal of ovaries or ovarian cysts, tubal ligation, removal of polyps and fibroids from the uterus , treatments for precancerous changes of the cervix such as LEEP, and other surgical procedures.

    What is an obstetrician ?

    An obstetrician is a physician who has received specialized training in the care of women who are pregnant. They care for women throughout their pregnancy, delivery, and into their post-partum period. While they are primarily focused on womens health and reproductive health, they can also help women manage other health issues.

    Things To Discuss With Your Gp

    • When your baby is due.
    • Information that may affect your pregnancy such as your familys health.
    • Whether you are likely to have a straightforward pregnancy or whether you have more complex pregnancy needs.

    You will also be asked about your familys medical history, which might include factors such as diabetes, blood pressure issues, heart problems or a history of twins.

    Aside from medical issues, the doctor may also ask about your circumstances such as:

    • whether you might be at risk of violence
    • whether you have support from family and friends
    • previous miscarriages or abortions and how you are feeling about them.

    This is to make sure that all women are offered appropriate information, support and referral.

    Related information

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    Doctors Can Prescribe Medicine Even If You Havent Been To Your First Appointment Yet

    If you have yet to go to your first appointment because its scheduled six weeks out, that doesnt mean youre out of luck if you need medical care. Doctors can still prescribe medicine.

    If you have concerns, they might move your appointment up to make sure that youre okay, and then prescribe medication as needed.

    For example, if your morning sickness is so severe that you havent eaten in days, your doctor can call in something for that. View in gallery

    Your Nhs Pregnancy Journey

    Pin on :: PREGNANCY

    See a midwife or GP as soon as you find out you’re pregnant. This is so they can book your pregnancy care and make sure you get all the information and support you need to have a healthy pregnancy.

    Your first appointment with a midwife should happen before you’re 10 weeks pregnant.

    If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant and have not seen a GP or midwife, contact a GP or midwife as soon as possible. They’ll see you quickly and help you start your pregnancy care.

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    At The Birth: Why You Might See An Obstetrician

    At a public hospital or birth centre, if you or your baby needs extra medical checks or care, an obstetrician will be at the birth. The obstetrician will manage any problems and do procedures or operations. You might need to transfer to a birthing suite or operating theatre for this to happen.

    If youre having a private hospital birth, your obstetrician will usually check on you during labour. The obstetrician will also come for the birth, manage any problems and do any special procedures or operations if needed.

    Obstetricians often work in small teams. If your obstetrician isnt available for your birth, theyll arrange for another obstetrician to be there.

    And sometimes obstetricians dont get there in time for the birth. If this happens, the midwives will deliver your baby.

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