Prenatal Care Specialist

What Is Prenatal Care?

Prenatal care is any advice, treatment, or recommendation a patient receives from a doctor during pregnancy. Prenatal care visits are important because they check on the health of the developing baby through different tests, including amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, expanded alpha-fetoprotein screening, and genetic screening.

Doctors can provide recommendations on relieving discomfort as well as offer support for any aspect of the pregnancy.

How Often Does a Mother Need Prenatal Visits?

Typically, the number of prenatal visits needed increases further into the pregnancy. When a woman is four to 28 weeks pregnant, one visit a month should be sufficient. Once a woman is closer to delivery, between 28 to 36 weeks, visits should increase to once every two weeks. When the woman reaches the end of her pregnancy, between 36 to 40 weeks, prenatal doctor visits should happen every week. Women's Health Group works closely with each individual prenatal patient, ensuring the best care for their baby.

Certain risk factors may alter the typical schedule of visits. Patients who are 35 or older have higher complications during pregnancy so that a doctor might recommend a higher frequency of visits. Additionally, if a woman has health problems or a risk of preterm labor, a doctor will want to keep a closer eye on both mother and baby.

What Happens During a Prenatal Care Visit?

At the first prenatal care appointment, the doctor will help patients determine their due date, collect your medical history, and evaluate if they have any pregnancy risk factors. Patients will also receive a breast exam, Pap test, and other blood, skin, or urine tests.

At follow-up visits, doctors perform fetal monitoring through an ultrasound to monitor the heart rate and uterine activity of the baby. They can also test for glucose tolerance, group B streptococcus, Down syndrome, and other birth defects.