Youll Be Offered A First
Depending on your province or territory, you may be offered an optional first-trimester screening to determine your risk of having a baby with Down syndrome or trisomy 18. This involves a blood test and an ultrasound at around 11 to 14 weeks.Your medical provider will counsel you on the reasons for undergoing this testing. If the initial screening results are positive, if youve had a prior pregnancy with a positive first-trimester screening or if you are over 40 when the baby is born, you may want to pursue a newer blood test called non-invasive prenatal testing , which can be done as early as nine weeks and provide more genetic information on your babys risk factors. When will your next ultrasound be? After the first-trimester screening ultrasound, your next one generally wont be until 18 to 20 weeks for the anatomy scan.)
Knowing that you will be offered this screening test beforehand can be helpful. The conversation about screening and genetic risks brings up a lot of things that people might not have thought about before, says Murray-Davis. Within couples, in particular, sometimes that may be a discussion theyve never had.
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Do Your Ob/gyn Homework
After you have chosen a hospital, look at the list of physicians who practice there and compare them to doctors who are on your insurance plan. Then, narrow down the list and start digging. I dont entirely trust online reviews, although I have friends who have used them to select a physician. I prefer a personal approach ask family, friends, and colleagues who they have used. Also, call practices and ask if their physicians will talk to patients before enrolling them for care.
Some women reverse this process they find a physician and agree to deliver at the hospital where the physician practices regularly. This is fine, but if having your specific doctor present at the delivery is important to you, make sure to find out their call coverage arrangements ahead of time. Its pretty unusual these days to find an Ob/Gyn who delivers babies for all of their own patients. Youll likely see your Ob/Gyn through prenatal care and deliver with the doctor on staff when you go into labor.
Ask about the doctors and delivery teams philosophies on issues that are important to you, such as:
- Having a doula present or a birth plan in place
- Vaginal delivery if youve had a C-section in the past
- Their availability for questions during and after office hours
You cant predict what pregnancy, labor, and delivery will bring. But, you can get an idea of your doctors approach to care and how they and the delivery team may respond in certain situations.
What Does Your Gp Do In Pregnancy Care
4-minute read
Your doctor, also known as a general practitioner , is likely to be the first health professional you see when you become pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant. Your GP can talk to you about your options for pregnancy care and the birth. Your choices, and the facilities available where you live, will determine the role your doctor will play.
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How Can You Tell Your Pregnant By Hand
Walk your fingers up the side of her abdomen until you feel the top of her abdomen under the skin. It will feel like a hard ball. You can feel the top by curving your fingers gently into the abdomen. Figure 10.1 With the woman lying on her back, begin by finding the top of the uterus with your fingers.
Choosing An Ob/gyn As Your Prenatal Care Practitioner
If you select an obstetrician-gynecologist , you wont be alone: more than 90 percent of women opt for this physician who’s had post-medical school training solely in womens reproductive and general health. OB/GYNS have experience handling every medical aspect of pregnancy, from labor and delivery to the postpartum period, as well as any complications and twin pregnancies.
An OB/GYN can also provide all your non-pregnancy female needs, such as pap spears, contraception and breast exams. And because your OB/GYN can function as your primary care physician, he or she can make an excellent partner after the baby arrives. And if you are among the one in three women who require a C-section, OB/GYNs are trained to perform those as well.
- An OB/GYN might be right for you if… you have a high-risk pregnancy, an awesome relationship with your current OB/GYN or you dont want to give birth without an epidural.
- but keep this in mind: OB/GYNs are more likely than midwives to use surgical or technological interventions during labor and delivery.
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At What Age Can I See A Gynecologist
A gynecologist can treat a girl or a woman at any age. ACOG recommend starting to visit a gynecologist from the age of 13 to 15 years.
Building up a relationship with the doctor enables a girl or woman to be more comfortable asking questions about menstruation, sexuality and so on, and provides a point of contact if symptoms occur in future.
It also gives the doctor a chance to guide a womans overall welfare in the long term, through counseling on important health and lifestyle issues.
When Do You See A Doctor When Pregnant
The first prenatal appointment usually takes place in the second month, between week 6 and week 8 of pregnancy. Be sure to call as soon as you suspect you re pregnant and have taken a pregnancy test. Some practitioners will be able to fit you in right away, but others may have waits of several weeks .
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Planning Your Antenatal Care And Birth
Antenatal care refers to the care you will receive during your pregnancy. At your first antenatal appointment, you can talk to your GP about your options for antenatal care and the birth. For example, you may be able to choose to have your baby in a public hospital, private hospital, birth centre or at home.
Your choices usually depend on:
- where you live
- whether you have private health insurance and wish to choose your own obstetrician
- your age, health and beliefs
Your choice will affect whether your regular check-ups and scans during your pregnancy are done by your GP or by a midwife or obstetrician.
How Much Does It Cost
The cost of having a baby will vary depending if you have your baby in the public or private system. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
In Australia, pregnancy care in a public hospital or birth centre is free because it is covered by Medicare, which covers Australian citizens and some visitors to Australia. But you wont be able to choose your doctor or midwife.
In the private system, you can choose your doctor, but you will need to pay for the care or take out private health insurance. Medicare and your health fund will cover some of the costs of a private hospital stay, but you may still have to pay extra fees .
Be sure to check that your private health insurance covers maternity care and if there is a waiting time before you can claim.
It can be difficult to understand the costs of different care options. Talk to your doctor, hospital or health fund if you are unsure, or call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby.
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Talking To Your Health Care Provider
When your body is going through physical changes that may be completely new to you, it isn’t always easy to talk to your health care provider. Maybe you’re wondering whether you can have sex or what to do about hemorrhoids or constipation, or maybe you’re feeling feeling worried about the delivery.
You might feel embarrassed to ask these or other questions, but it’s important to do so and remember, your health care provider has heard them all before. Keep a running list of questions, and take it with you to each visit.
Also, if you have:
- heavy bleeding
British Columbia Specific Information
If you have any questions or concerns about pregnancy, labour and baby care speak with your health care provider or contact HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse anytime of the day or night, any day of the year, or a pharmacist from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
You can also read Baby’s Best Chance , a parents handbook on pregnancy and baby care, or visit the Healthy Families BC website.
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Where Do You Want To Deliver
If you have a low-risk pregnancy and dream of delivering at home or in a birthing centre, choose a midwife because, in most cases, family doctors and obstetricians only practice in hospital settings. However, if you know you want to deliver in a hospital, you can choose any type of provider, including a midwife. In Ontario, between April 2017 and March 2018, 83 percent of births attended by midwives were in hospital, 14 percent took place at home and three percent were at birthing centres.
Choosing A Family Physician As Your Prenatal Care Practitioner
- A family physician might be right for you if… you want a doctor whos continually invested in all aspects of your health and your family.
- but keep this in mind: If complications occur, such as the need for a C-section, youll have to be referred to an obstetrician since family physicians dont typically perform these surgeries.
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Is Leg Pain Normal During Early Pregnancy
Leg Cramps: Although leg cramps are most common in the third trimester, many newly-pregnant women report that their thighs, calves, and feet might feel cramped. An expanding uterus can put pressure on certain nerves and blood vessels, causing poor circulation, cramps, or spasms of pain.
Sciatic Pain: The growing weight of your uterus might push on the sciatic nerve, sending a jolt of pain down the back of your leg.
Other Causes of Leg Pain: Both deep vein thrombosis and uterine fibroids also cause leg pain, so its best to call your doctor or midwife.
What Kind Of Doctor Do I Need To See For My Hemorrhoids
A number of medical practitioners and doctors are all experienced and qualified to manage your hemorrhoids.
You may speak to the following types of medical professionals or doctors for hemorrhoids:
- General Practicioner
- General Surgeon
- Gynecologist
For Pregnant mothers who are prone to experiencing hemorrhoids in their third trimester, a Gynecologist may be the best person to visit considering these hemorrhoids are most likely present due to the increased pressure of pregnancy on the rectal and anal muscles.
Hemorrhoids during pregnancy can be very difficult to deal with. If you are pregnant with hemorrhoids, worry not, our hemorrhoids during pregnancy guide will help you manage your hemorrhoids in the best possible way.
Depending on the treatment, surgery may or may not be required.
A Colorectal surgeon or Proctologist may be required in severe cases that require operating on your hemorrhoids.
Most of these procedures can be performed in the doctors office to help shrink or remove the hemorrhoids.
Laser hemorrhoid surgery is also an option for your hemorrhoids, and you will want to make sure you choose an experienced hemorrhoid doctor when opting for laser hemorrhoid surgery.
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Look At Your Insurance
Its important to understand what your insurance does and doesnt cover. Review your benefits and ask questions if you dont understand any part of the coverage. This is also a good time to make sure you understand what costs youre responsible for especially for some genetic testing.
Find out which hospitals and providers are considered in-network, where youll receive care at a lower price. Going out-of-network can be costly. The bills can add up if theres a complication and you or your baby needs special care, such as a stay in the neonatal intensive care unit .
Generally, I dont think its worthwhile to look out-of-network, especially for pregnancy care and labor and delivery. However, there are exceptions.
What Kind Of Doctor Do You Go To When Your Pregnant
What kind of doctor do you go to when your pregnant
- What kind of doctor do I go to if I am pregnant??
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100207120700AAGBJHD
- A family practitioner would probably be cheapest and most can deal with pregnancies as long as there are no complications.
- WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR SHOULD I GO TO IF IM PREGNANT??
- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100112201859AA8p2i9
- You need to see an OB/GYN. Do you have insurance? If you do, then first find out which doctors will accept your insurance. The insurance company can provide you with all this information. I had medicaid with my first pregnancy and I was
- When I cant get pregnant, what kind of doctor should I go see fi?
- http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1235745?ref=W_Ask& utm_source=Ask
- I suppose it depends on how your health care system works- but I have two doctors. My general physician, and my ob/gyn. If I were having trouble conceiving, I would consult my ob/gyn as he is specialized in that area. If you dont have an o
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Will My Gp Do Another Pregnancy Test
Probably not. Home pregnancy-testing kits are generally so accurate these days that, if its positive, you are almost certainly pregnant.
The doctor will not need to repeat the test, says midwife Gail. Shop-bought tests are very efficient these days!
Your GP wont need to see your home test, either. Keep that stick at home he or she will take you at your word!.
As MFMer Corrine says, When I went to the docs after I found out I was pregnant, she said, We dont need to do another test. Well just book your scan.
And dont avoid doing a home test because you think a GPs test is more official or accurate, midwife Gail says:
The general advice is to do a test at home. If you go to the surgery thinking you might be pregnant, they will probably send you to the chemist to get a test!
If youd still like the doctor to do a confirmatory test for you, it may take up to 5 days to get the results back. If your GP does the test for you, adds Gail.
He or she will need a urine sample from you, or they might do a blood test. Either way, the samples will be sent off to the lab for testing, and you will have to wait.
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If Youve Had One Miscarriage
If you experienced a first-trimester miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy and have no other chronic health issues and no prior history of pregnancy loss, you probably don’t need a specialist.
It is important to remember that 80%of miscarriages occur in the first trimester and that anywhere from 10 to 25% of pregnancies will result in a miscarriage. Moreover, in the majority of cases, a woman will go on to deliver a perfectly healthy baby the next time around.
Most first-trimester miscarriages occur because of a chromosomal abnormality that made the fetus non-viable from the start. Ultimately, the loss was a glitch and one that is unlikely to be repeated.
Under these circumstances, you can continue seeing your midwife, family physician, or OB-GYN, all of whom are more than qualified to see you through the pregnancy.
On the other hand, if you have diabetes, thyroid disease, or any other health condition that may impact a pregnancy, speak with your doctor who can refer you to appropriate specialist for treatment and/or advice.
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Related Questions Answered On Yanswers
- what to do after finding out your pregnant?
- Q: My doctor is kind of slow and when I asked her what I should do if I find out Im pregnant such as how soon to schedule an appointment she kind of blew me off and sent me for blood work. How soon do you start appointments after finding out your pregnant? At how many weeks pregnant do you go for check ups?Im not pregnant yet.. well Im on the two week waiting period right now. She did some bloodwork and put me on prenatal vitamins right away. I guess she just wanted to take it one step at a time. Will definitely go as soon as I find out Im pregnant, but wanted to know how soon after that initial visit do you go?
- A: It really depends on the doctor/hospital system you are using. Ive had two successful pregnancies but with my searching for the perfect MD Ive been to several different doctors. Most of the time you have your initial appointment to just confirm the pregnancy and if there are questions regarding how far along you are, your doc might send you to get an ultrasound. After that, assuming youve had a recent pap smear and there are no complications your MD might not want to see you again until you are 8 to 10 weeks along and then every month after that.
You Have A Known Reproductive Issue
Right away. “Women with known issues, such as polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis, should be evaluated as soon as they begin attempting pregnancy,” Dr. Maguire says. Dr. Schoolcraft agrees: “Waiting 6 to 12 months is not always productive in such cases,” he says.
Many women with PCOS don’t ovulate, so you’ll need medications to help jump-start it. Endometriosis is trickierit could result in blocked fallopian tubes, diminished ovarian reserve or nothing at all depending on its severity, which a fertility checkup can determine.
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