Because of the high rate of miscarriage during the first trimester, the first prenatal visit has traditionally been scheduled for week twelve.
Using modern testing and examination techniques, doctors are now better able to contribute to your general health and manage this stage of pregnancy.
Now the first visit is usually scheduled between week eight and week twelve. This visit is the longest and most in depth of all your scheduled visits. Perhaps most important, your caregiver will register you as a prenatal patient and establish the date of your pregnancy, which will help avoid possible problems later.
One of the goals of your prenatal visit should be to establish a relationship with your caregiver. Together over the next few months you both will work to ensure the health of you and your baby. While your caregiver will bring the benefit of their training and experience to your visits, you should also be prepared to ask questions and share your ideas about making your pregnancy experience as ideal as possible.
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During your first prenatal visit, your caregiver will try to establish your general health and family's medical history. You will be asked if you have had previous pregnancies or miscarriages, and the date of your last menstrual periodThe last menstrual period prior to pregnancy and used to calculate the estimated due date of the baby. Conception usually takes places about two weeks after the last menstrual period, and delivery following 280 days after the last menstrual period. Only about five percent of babies are born on their estimated due date so the term serves as a measure of the progress of the baby. Often abbreviated to LMP.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., so that the estimated due dateSometimes abbreviated to EDD, or referred to as the Estimated Date of Delivery. The EDD is calculated as 280 days after the first day of the last menstrual period.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. can be calculated. If you have any questions, write them down, and note if you have any special health problems or religious concerns you wish to discuss with your caregiver.
Your health history will be thoroughly reviewed during your first prenatal visit. You will be asked a lot of questions, many of which may seem personal, but will help to make your pregnancy more healthy. Try and answer them as best you can. It is a good idea to bring any medical records you may have with you to your first prenatal visit. You will be asked about general medical problems, and special attention will be paid to your gynecological and obstetrical history. If you have had previous abortions or miscarriages your caregiver will want to know about them so that complications can be avoided. It is important for your caregiver to know the type of birth control medication you have been using, and the there will be questions about your menstrual cycle. The kind of information you may be asked will include the regularity, length and frequency of your menstrual cycleTerm used to describe the cycle that results in a discharge of bloody fluid from the uterus. See the week two in the Pregnancy Calendar for a complete description of the menstrual cycle.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., which will aid in the calculation of your due date.
Your general health will also be examined: do you smoke, drink or use drugs, for instance. Your caregiver will want to know if you have any conditions that require the use of specialized medication. Allergies to certain medications will be discussed so they can be avoided during your pregnancy.
Questions about your work environment may also be asked so that possible exposure to toxic substances can be limited or avoided. If you are concerned about exposure to hazardous substances you should list those that you are worried about so that you can discuss them with your doctor. You may also be asked about your relationship with your partner and if there are potential domestic violence issues that need to be understood.
The following questions are typical of the ones you will be asked. Print a copy of these questions for your first prenatal visit so that you can prepare before you go.
Are you periods regular?
How long is your average cycle?
How long do your periods last?
What was the date of your last menstrual period?
Are you taking any prescription or over the counter medications?
Do you have allergies?
Do you have any chronic health conditions?
Have you been exposed to any infections?
Did you have any childhood illnesses or serious illness?
Have you been pregnant before?
Have you had an abortion or miscarriage?
Have you had an induced abortion?
Do you have a baby?
How long was your labor?
Did you have a vaginal or cesarean delivery?
What was the baby's birth weight and size?
Were there any unexpected complications?
Did your baby have a birth defect?
Did you have any problems conceiving?
What symptoms of pregnancy have you experienced?
What is your work environment like?
Are you exposed to any toxic substances at your workplace?
Is your job dangerous?
If you have questions that you want answered, ask your caregiver for more time so that they can be discussed.
Your family's health history is almost as important as your own. Many conditions are hereditary and it can be useful for your caregiver to prepare for possible problems. You will be asked about your partner's history as well. If there's a risk of genetic abnormalities both you and your partner will be screened. A genetic counselor may be recommended.
The following questions are typically asked about your family's medical health and that of your partner.
What is your ethnic background?
What is the ethnic background of the father?
Are there any illnesses that run in either of your families?
Is there a history of twins or multiple pregnancies in your families?
Depending on the scheduled length of your first prenatal visit, you may have some prenatal tests performed during your meeting. Among the tests you will receive are a:
Depending on your ethnic background you may also be screened for:
A physical exam may be performed during your first prenatal visit as part of your registration as a prenatal patient. Your medical records will be recorded, along with your height, weight and blood pressure.
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A pelvic exam will be performed to check your cervixThe part of the uterus that protrudes into the vaginal cavity. It is separated from the bladder by the parametrium. The vaginal end of the cervix contains the cervical canal.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., vaginaThe part of the female genitalia that forms a canal from the orifice to the uterine cervix. It is located behind the bladder and in front of the rectum.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., ovariesPart of the female reproductive system, they are one of a pair of female gonads located on each side of the lower abdomen. Similar in size and shape to an almond, at ovulation an egg is extruded from a follicle on the ovary's surface. The mature follicle secretes both estrogen and progesterone to regulate the menstrual cycle.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., fallopian tubesAlso called the oviduct, it is one of a pair of ducts that lead from the peritoneal cavity over the ovary to the uterus. The tubes serve to lead the ovum to the uterus and the spermatozoa to the ovaries. The fallopian tubes are located in the lower abdomen by a broad ligament called the mesosalpinx.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. and uterus. The size of your uterus will be determined to confirm that your pregnancy is progressing appropriately.
You will also receive a thorough general health exam that will include a check of your ears, eyes, nose throat and teeth. Your thyroidA vascular organ at the front of the neck consisting of two lobes connected in front of the windpipe. Larger in women than men, it increases in size during pregnancy, secreting the hormones thyroxine into the blood. It is activated by the pituitary thyrotropbic hormone and elaborated with iodine. It is essential to maintain normal body growth during infancy and childhood.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. and lymph nodes will be checked, and your heart, lungs, back, breasts and abdomen will be examined.
By the time your first prenatal visit is complete you can rest assured that you are completely fit and healthy! If there are any complications you can decide to see a specialist such as a consultant obstetrician or neonatologist.
As part of your first prenatal visit your caregiver will provide you with a prediction of your estimated due date, or EDD. The due date is important to measure the growth of the fetus and the development of your pregnancy. It also helps to ensure that certain tests, which are most accurate during certain times of your pregnancy, are performed on the correct dates.
Only about five percent (1 in 20) babies are born on their estimated due date, which is normally calculated as 280 days from the first day of your last menstrual periodThe last menstrual period prior to pregnancy and used to calculate the estimated due date of the baby. Conception usually takes places about two weeks after the last menstrual period, and delivery following 280 days after the last menstrual period. Only about five percent of babies are born on their estimated due date so the term serves as a measure of the progress of the baby. Often abbreviated to LMP.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. You can use BabyPartner's due date calculator to calculate your due date yourself, but remember that most women give birth within two weeks either side of the calculated date.
After your first prenatal visit is completed your caregiver may decide to schedule an ultrasound sometime between week sixteen and week twenty. You will probably meet your caregiver for routine visits every four weeks for the next seven months. After that your visits will double, and you will meet every two weeks until the last month, when you visit your doctor every week.
Your caregiver will also talk to you about diet and nutrition, and the amount of weight gain you can expect during your pregnancy. You may talk about common complaints of pregnancy and discuss problems that will need immediate attention.
You may be offered some optional diagnostic tests, especially if you are over age thirty five. Screening for Down's syndrome may also be recommended.
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