Each physician practices differently, but here is a rough outline of what to expect during each visit. Each pregnancy is different, and some flexibility and variation is expected. For a great resource click HERE
Your First Visit: Please arrive 20 minutes before your visit, as there will be quite a bit of paperwork for you to fill out. The entire visit may be upwards of an hour as there's plenty to do and get excited about! Besides a physical exam, we will be doing a vaginal ultrasound to see the developing fetus and create an estimate of the age. Then, we will have a conversation about the genetic testing options available to you. This is an exciting visit!
Typical 12 week visit: Welcome back! During this visit, we will listen to the baby's heart beat, perform a physical exam and check in on how you are feeling. We can discuss nausea during pregnancy and way to treat it. If you have decided to get first trimester genetic screening, we will make sure you have the proper paperwork. During this and every visit, we'll be checking your urine to make sure your kidneys are working well.
Typical 16 week visit: Like the 12 week visit, we will be checking in on how you're feeling and listening to the fetus heart beat. We will also make sure that your second trimester ultrasound is scheduled. That's the ultrasound to take a really close look at the fetal anatomy. It takes place at Zion hospital and takes about an hour. We can talk more about it during this visit.
Typical 20 week visit: 20 weeks, can you believe it!? This will be a recognizable visit for you. If you are having 2nd trimester screening completed, you should have already done the blood work prior to this visit. New during this visit is measuring your tummy. For most women, at 20 weeks your baby bump should be around 20cm.
Typical 24 week visit: Chugging along! Have you decided on which classes you'll be taking? Trust me, you'll feel much better feeling prepared for your big day even if you're not a first time parent. Feel free to ask me about all the great classes available and how to sign up.
Typical 28 week visit: During this visit, you'll be getting some blood work along with a test for diabetes. During the diabetes class, you'll be asked to drink a sweet liquid (it doesn't taste great, I'm sorry about that), and we'll check your blood sugar in about an hour. If your blood sugar is, you'll have to do another longer test to ensure you don't have gestational diabetes
Typical 32 week visit: Wow! We're getting close! During this visit, I'll ask you to start measuring how often your baby moves. Start thinking about birth control options after you delivery as well. Have you taken a hospital tour yet? It's a great idea.
Typical 36 week visit: How are those kick counts coming? Let's get some lab work to rule out anemia during this visit and make sure you have the number to Labor and Delivery. Also, during this visit, you will be tested for Group B Strep (GBS) which is a bacteria that many women naturally have in their vagina. When patients are "GBS positive" or have that type of bacteria, we typically use antibiotics before labor as this type of bacteria can be dangerous to the fetus.
Typical 38 week visit: I just saw you 2 weeks ago, but when we get close to the delivery, we like to keep a close eye on you! Lets do a tummy ultrasound to look at your baby!
Typical 39 week visit: Visits will now be weekly until you deliver. Each week we will measure you and do a tummy ultrasound to see how the pregnancy is progressing.
Thank you for allowing me to take care of you during your pregnancy, I'm thrilled to be part of this process and want to help you every step of the way.
