Your First Prenatal Visit

By Cherie Brunetti, Contributing Editor 

Call to make your appointment as soon as you discover that you are pregnant.  Even if your home pregnancy test came back positive, it is best to confirm the results with a professional exam.  It is also best to begin your prenatal care as soon as possible. 

Your doctor probably will not schedule your appointment until about your eighth week of pregnancy.  Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions, any problems with a past pregnancy or if you are having problems currently such as abdominal pain, bleeding, or severe vomiting and nausea.  If you are experiencing any of these conditions, your doctor will probably schedule your appointment as soon as possible.  Also, be sure to tell the doctor any medications that you are taking right away.

During your first visit, your doctor will ask the first day of your last period in order to determine your due date.  The doctor will also ask about your menstrual cycles, any gynecological problems you have had, and details about any previous pregnancies.

Your doctor will review your medical history, personal habits, your emotional well-being, and your home environment.  She will also discuss your family’s history of chronic medical conditions or serious diseases.  Learning about your family’s history will help your doctor keep an eye out for any potential problems.

Your doctor will ask you if you or your husband, or anyone in your families, has any genetic or chromosomal disorders, birth defects, or developmental delays.  She will discuss different prenatal testing options with you.  These screenings can give you and your doctor important information about the health of your baby as well as your baby’s level of risk for Down syndrome and other chromosomal anomalies.  Between 9 and 13 weeks you can get a blood test.  You can also get a special ultrasound called a nuchal translucency screening between 11 and 13 weeks.  Used together, the blood test and the ultrasound can provide information about your baby’s risk for major heart problems and Down syndrome.

During your first prenatal visit, your doctor will give you a physical.  You will typically get a pelvic exam, including a Pap smear.  You will get blood drawn for blood testing to check your blood type and for anemia, syphilis, rubella, and hepatitis B.  You will also be asked to give a urine sample in order to test for a urinary tract infection.

Your doctor will talk with you about eating a healthy diet, what food you should not eat during pregnancy, and what you should expect when it comes to weight gain.  She’ll let your know what to expect during the first trimester and will tell you which symptoms are potentially problematic.  Your doctor will talk with you about the dangerous of smoking, drugs, drinking, and certain medications during pregnancy.  If you have any concerns or questions, do not hesitate to talk with your doctor.