Your first prenatal visit may be 1 of the longest yous'll take during your pregnancy — and definitely the virtually comprehensive. Non only will there be tests and information-gathering, in that location will exist lots of fourth dimension spent on questions and answers. There volition also be plenty of advice given, from what to eat (or non), what prenatal vitamins to take, and how much to do.

Here are the details on when to go for your showtime pregnancy engagement, how to ready for information technology and what really happens while you're there.

When should I schedule my first prenatal visit?

As soon as you have a positive result on a home pregnancy test, phone call your practitioner to schedule an appointment. Adept prenatal care is one of the most important steps in having a healthy pregnancy and baby.

When will my start prenatal visit have place?

The first prenatal date commonly takes identify in the second month, between calendar week 6 and calendar week viii of pregnancy.

Be sure to call every bit soon as you lot suspect you're pregnant and have taken a pregnancy examination. Some practitioners will be able to fit you in right away, but others may take waits of several weeks (or longer). Certain OB/GYN offices also offering an earlier "pre-OB" visit to ostend a pregnancy as soon equally you lot think you're expecting.

Regardless of when that first appointment is scheduled, start acting pregnant once yous get that positive upshot at habitation (such as by taking a prenatal vitamin, following a healthy diet, switching to mocktails and skipping sure off-limits foods like raw fish and deli meat). You may exist familiar with the basics, but don't hesitate to phone call your practitioner's office if you need to brush upward.

And if the look is of concern because you feel your pregnancy may be high-take a chance (because of a chronic condition or a history of miscarriages, for example), cheque in with the part to see if you can come in before.

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How should I prepare for my outset pregnancy appointment?

One time the date is on your calendar, do a footling prep work to brand the most of your visit. These tips are a great place to start:

Make a listing of primal health facts. Your practitioner volition want to discuss all the details of your medical history, then check your records at home or call your primary intendance physician for a refresh. Come prepared with at to the lowest degree some basics near:

  • Your personal medical history: immunizations you lot'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 wellness disorders
  • Your gynecological history: historic period of your first menstruation, details about your bicycle, 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: Whatsoever contagious diseases you lot may have been exposed to (say, if you traveled abroad recently or work in health care)

Take stock of your medicine cabinet. Your OB/GYN or midwife will as well want to know the names and mayhap the dosages of whatever medications and supplements y'all take (herbs and vitamins included).

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

Jot downward your questions. In the excitement of that starting time prenatal appointment, lots of momshoped-for forget to enquire the burning questions that take been keeping them up at night — so make a listing of them beforehand (and don't forget to bring it with you).

What will happen at my kickoff prenatal visit?

Practitioners also take their own to-practice lists for the first prenatal appointment. Hither'southward what to wait:

  • Y'all'll become a check-up. This may include a full general health exam (checking your centre, lungs, breasts and belly); measuring your blood pressure to serve as a baseline reading for hereafter appointments; noting your height and weight; a look for varicose veins and swelling every bit a baseline for time to come visits; a pelvic exam; and an assessment of the size of your uterus and the size and shape of your pelvis.
  • You'll become a confirmation of your pregnancy. Even if you got a positive result on a dwelling house pregnancy exam, your practitioner will repeat a urine test and do a claret test to check your hCG levels.
  • Yous'll undergo a battery of other tests. Some tests are routine for every meaning woman, some are routine in some areas of the country, and some are performed just when necessary. The most common tests at your start prenatal visit include:
    • Urine test. Your urine may exist checked for protein, glucose (sugar), white claret cells, blood and leaner.
    • Bloodwork. A sample of your blood volition be used to make up one's mind blood type and Rh status and check for anemia. Your blood will as well be screened for antibody titers (levels) and amnesty to certain diseases (like rubella and chicken pox) and peradventure for vitamin D deficiency.
    • Genetic carrier screening. If you weren't screened before conception, a blood draw too tests for whether you lot're a carrier for the more common genetic atmospheric condition, including cystic fibrosis, sickle jail cell anemia, thalassemia, Tay-Sachs affliction and others.
    • STD tests. Your doc may screen for sexually transmitted infections like hepatitis B, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV.
    • Pap smear. Just like you get at your almanac appointments, to screen for aberrant cervical cells.
    • A blood sugar test. You may get this exam if y'all had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy or if you're at higher risk for gestational diabetes (for example, if you lot have a family unit history).
  • Y'all'll become an official countdown. If you know when you lot conceived and the date of your last catamenia (LMP), brand sure to mention it. Your OB/GYN or midwife volition calculate your due date using your LMP, a check of your cervix and uterus for signs and approximate gestational age of the pregnancy, your hCG levels, and, most probable, an ultrasound.
  • You'll chat most yourself and your babe. To give you the all-time possible care, your practitioner will want to know a lot nearly you. The first prenatal appointment is the time for your practitioner to become upward to speed on your health history and fill you in on how to intendance for yourself and your growing babe, also equally address any concerns you lot accept (this is when that list of questions comes in handy). It's helpful to have notes; your doctor or midwife is sure to share enough of info you'll desire to think (and momshoped-for are notoriously forgetful).

Will I see my baby on an ultrasound at my first prenatal visit?

Most practitioners do a prenatal ultrasound during the starting time visit, which is the well-nigh accurate way of dating a pregnancy. However, some docs await until a bit later, when there'south more to see.

Showtime Ultrasound In iii Words