Prenatal Appointments
Your first prenatal appointment will be at 8 weeks of pregnancy. Our Certified Nurse Midwife will go over your prenatal schedule and answer all of your questions. This visit also includes a comprehensive exam, lab tests and discussions on lifestyle modifications to take that will ensure the health of your baby.
Most patients will be scheduled for office visits every 4 weeks until 30-32 weeks, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly until delivery.
Remember to write down any questions you may have and bring them to each appointment so we can ensure you have all the information you need to feel comfortable and confident throughout your pregnancy.
Prenatal Testing
To help ensure the health of your baby and perform development assessments throughout your pregnancy, there are a number of prenatal tests that will be recommended in each trimester.
First Prenatal Visit (8-10 weeks)
- History and physical
- Pap and gonorrhea/chlamydia cultures
- Review of pregnancy modifications, diet and exercise
- Sign consent forms
- Prenatal blood work (includes blood type, antibody screen, hematocrit, syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, rubella, thyroid, urinalysis, and any other indicated tests depending on each unique patient)
- First trimester sonogram (10 weeks) for dating
- Cystic fibrosis screening
- Review genetic testing options for Down's syndrome and other chromosome abnormalities
Prenatal Visit (16-20 weeks)
- Spina bifida screening (AFP blood test)
- Sonogram for fetal anomalies (18-20 weeks) – gender can be revealed if desired
Prenatal Visit (28 weeks)
- One-hour Glucose Tolerance Test (screen for gestational diabetes) (Patients interested in a more natural glucose load beverage may order The Fresh Test for this GTT.)
- Three-hour Glucose Tolerance Test (only performed if 1-hour GTT is elevated)
- Blood work (includes hematocrit and syphilis)
- Rhogam for Rh negative patients
- Tdap vaccine if indicated
Prenatal Visit (36 weeks)
- Group Beta Strep (GBS) culture obtained (if test is positive, antibiotics are required during labor)
- Weekly pelvic exams begin (to determine cervical dilatation and effacement)
- Growth ultrasound
All prenatal visits, including those not listed above, will consist of:
- Weight
- Blood pressure
- Urine specimen (checks for protein and glucose)
- Fetal heart rate
- Fundal height measurement
We will inform you as soon as possible of any abnormal test results or those requiring repeat testing or an explanation. If you would like to know the results of any other tests, you may call us two weeks after a test was done to obtain the result by telephone.
FMLA Information
For information on FMLA and to have paperwork prepared for you and your employer, please contact our office and ask for Sherie.