Prenatal checkups are an integral part of a woman's pregnancy. These appointments will allow the medical practitioner to monitor the health of both the mother and the baby.
The schedule of these visits increases in frequency as the pregnancy progresses. The reason for this is to be able to address any concerns or complications as they arise so they can be dealt with right away.
General Schedule of Prenatal Checkups
The schedule of doctors' appointments may vary from doctor to doctor, or patient to patient depending on the circumstances. However, the general schedule would be as follows:
- First 28 weeks: once per month
- 28 weeks to 36 weeks: every two weeks
- 37 weeks to birth: once per week
What Happens at Prenatal Checkups?
Generally, most prenatal visits will be rather consistent. In certain weeks, special tests may be conducted, but in general the visits will consist of the following:
Urine sample - a urine test will identify various issues, such as protein in the urine (which can be indicative of preeclampsia) and glucose presence (to test for gestational diabetes).
Blood pressure - this is another test that will be administered at every visit. Any sudden rise or fall in blood pressure could be a sign of complications that would need to be addressed immediately.
Nutrition and weight - medical practitioners will ask questions about what the mother is eating to make sure she is keeping her health in check. Certain things like sugar, salt, caffeine, fish high in mercury or artificial sweeteners should be limited or avoided during pregnancy. The mother's weight will also be monitored to make sure she is gaining at the appropriate rate. Gaining too much or too little can have a negative impact on the pregnancy.
Fetal heart rate - as the baby grows, the heart rate will be audible through a doppler machine. This will begin some time around week 12 of the pregnancy. This will allow the medical practitioner to monitor the baby's heart rate.
Fundal height - as the uterus grows, the belly will also grow. The doctor will measure from the top of the uterus to the pelvic region to make sure the baby is growing at an appropriate rate. This is carried out from week 20 onward.
These prenatal checkups will also give the mother an opportunity to ask any questions she may have, or discuss anything that she may be curious about.
For more pregnancy-related information, please visit: www.complete-pregnancy-guide.com
References:
healthunit.org
womenshealth.gov
askdrsears.com
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