This is Part II of our three part mini-series on Pregnancy Care! On today’s episode, Drs. Alicia and Sarah share with us what you can expect at your first prenatal visit. Generally speaking, maternity care providers would like to see you between your sixth and ninth week of pregnancy for your first visit. If you're experiencing significant nausea or other concerning symptoms, don’t hesitate to reach-out to your provider sooner and they will try to address your concerns and manage symptoms!
The simplest answer is: lots of questions from your maternity care provider! Expect a longer appointment depending on your medical and pregnancy history. Your clinic may even have a hand-out for patients and care providers to complete together. An example of the types of questions you may be asked include, but are not exclusive to:
But it doesn’t end there! To ensure providing you with the best care, your provider will ask even more questions with regards to your dietary habits, food restrictions & nutritional intake, physical activity habits, substance use history, and last but not least, what social supports you may have in place.
Once all that information is gathered, they’ll discuss a little bit about which investigations they’d like to order moving forward (such as bloodwork) as well as a dating ultrasound. Doing so confirms that your little peanut is growing safely inside you, and it is also a more accurate way to ascertain the due date as well as the gestational age of the fetus. If you decide to proceed with genetic testing, having the most accurate age is helpful.
Tune into today’s podcast to learn even more about the first prenatal appointment! And don’t forget to check-out these episodes if you’ve missed them and you’d like to learn a bit more about Blood Type in Pregnancy as well as Prenatal Screening!
Preparing for Pregnancy Guide:
We've put together a clear, easy to read guide that helps you optimize your physical and mental health as you begin your journey through motherhood.
Free First Prenatal Visit Questionnaire:
Download our free PDF using the above link!
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