Enjoying Your Pregnancy Guide to Understanding - Brigham and ...

INITIAL PRENATAL CARE
INITIAL OFFICE VISITS
A. History*
B. Physical Examination*
C. Laboratory*
• Complete Blood Count
• Urinalysis
• Serology, Blood Type & Rh Factor
• Rubella Titer
• PAP Test
• Tuberculosis Screening
• Hepatitis B Screening
• Urine, Cervical, Vaginal Cultures (if necessary)
• HIV Test (if necessary)
• Chickenpox (if necessary)
*Includes all those procedures listed in subsequent
office visits
Your Prenatal Guide 5
FOLLOW-UP OFFICE VISITS
Mother
• Weight
• Blood Pressure
• Urine Specimen
• Uterine Growth - Ultrasound
• Pelvic Exams (late in pregnancy)
• Special Blood Testing
Baby
• Fetal Heart Tones
• Fetal Activity
• Size & Growth of Baby
• Amount of Amniotic Fluid
• Location of Baby
THE FIRST OFFICE VISIT
The First Office Appointment may take longer than your other visits. Your medical history will be taken by an
obstetrical nurse or doctor. We need to know how healthy you are, to best provide care for you and your baby.
At the first appointment we will do some lab tests relative to pregnancy and your general health. Blood tests are
especially critical since they tell us much about your medical history which could have an effect on you or your baby's
well-being. Depending on special needs or individual medical problems, other testing may be done.
Follow-up visits are much shorter in duration than your initial visit. The focus of these checkups is to make certain
that you have not developed any problems due to your pregnancy. In addition, the growth and development of your
baby is monitored. Certain blood tests and other tests may be performed at predetermined intervals throughout your
pregnancy to monitor your progress.
We’ll set your due date, if possible, at the first appointment. It becomes a special “monitoring” progress date for you
and us. Only one in 20 babies is delivered exactly on the calculated day, although most are born ± two weeks of the
expected date.
A full term pregnancy lasts 266 days from conception to birth. You may know exactly when you conceived. If so,
tell us. At your initial exam we will try to answer as many questions as possible.
FREQUENCY OF OFFICE VISITS
The closer you get to your due date, the more frequently we will need to see you. Through your sixth month, we’ll
set up an appointment every two to four weeks. Then, plan to come in every two weeks during the seventh and eighth
months, and every week during that last important month. These visits will take less time than your initial exam, but
are just as important to make sure your pregnancy is progressing well.
JUST A REMINDER . . .
Recent advancements in medical research and technology make now the best time in history to bear children. Today,
for instance, we know that environmental factors such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption during
pregnancy can harm the unborn baby. While good prenatal care can significantly decrease harmful risks to you and
your baby, there are no guarantees that the pregnancy will proceed normally.