Routine Prenatal Care, Pregnancy
Routine prenatal care includes regular visits to your physician. A typical practice will schedule your first visit between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy based on your last menstrual period. Your first visit will be with one of our doctors.
At that visit you will be given an informational packet and have routine blood work done. The first visit with your physician will be the longest and will include a detailed health history, ultrasound to confirm your due date, and a complete physical exam.
You will also have an opportunity to ask questions at every
visit. We recommend you write your questions down prior to
your appointment.
Typical pregnancies without any complications will have 7-8
ultrasounds during your pregnancy.
The first ultrasound is done to confirm your due date and is
done early in the pregnancy. You can learn the sex of your
baby at the second ultrasound if you desire.
Recommended lab tests for routine prenatal care include the
following: screening for sexually transmitted diseases (hepatitis
B, HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and Chlamydia), blood type and
antibody screening, urine culture, screening for anemia, and
rubella immunity.
Other tests later in pregnancy will be discussed by your physician at the appropriate time.
We also have genetic screening available. Your options and
available tests will be explained by your physician at your
first visit.
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