Prenatal Care Specialist

What is prenatal care?

Prenatal care includes all the support and medical attention you need throughout your pregnancy and delivery. During your prenatal care, you can also count on your provider for information about delivery options, as well as emotional support for the common ups-and-downs women experience.

When do I have prenatal care?

Your prenatal care starts as soon as you learn or suspect you may be pregnant. After your provider runs a test to confirm your pregnancy, you begin a series of prenatal checkups.

Most women have monthly prenatal visits until they reach week 28, then they start scheduling appointments every two weeks. At week 36, you have weekly visits until you deliver your baby. Your provider schedules more frequent prenatal checkups if you have a high-risk pregnancy.

What happens at a prenatal checkup?

During your first prenatal visit, your provider obtains in-depth information about your medical, gynecologic, and menstrual history, as well as any previous pregnancies. They also talk with you about whether you use medications, drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes.

Finally, your provider performs an exam, estimates your due date, and may do an ultrasound. Before you leave, they talk with you about nutrition and recommend dietary supplements.

At each prenatal checkup, your provider takes your weight and blood pressure, checks your baby's growth, and listens for a heartbeat. They also test your urine at every visit to look for signs of common problems like gestational diabetes and urinary tract infections.

Your prenatal visits also give you the chance to ask questions, learn about weight gain and get help with problems like morning sickness, swollen ankles, and muscle cramps.

What testing will I receive during prenatal care?

At specific times during your pregnancy, your provider performs routine blood tests to screen for:

• Anemia
• Hepatitis B
• Gestational diabetes
• Bladder and kidney infections
• Rubella and chickenpox
• Chlamydia and other STDs
• HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
• Standard genetic or chromosomal screenings

Your provider also tests your blood type to ensure your blood is compatible with the baby's type.

Does prenatal care include ultrasounds?

Your provider can perform an ultrasound any time they determine it's necessary to monitor your baby's health. However, all women have at least one ultrasound around weeks 18-20. 

At this stage, your provider evaluates your baby's growth and anatomy and may learn the baby's gender.

Some women have an early ultrasound around six weeks to confirm the pregnancy, determine their due date, and see if they're carrying more than one baby.

If you need a pregnancy test or want to start prenatal care, call Georgia Obstetrics and Gynecology or book an appointment online today.