You will be overwhelmed and delighted when you get the good news that you are pregnant. The first thing you have to do is schedule an appointment with a gynecologist. A specialist must check you and your baby early in your pregnancy. Even if you are not pregnant for the first time, every pregnancy is different, so you must consult a doctor as soon as you know you are expecting. Read below to learn when to see a gynecologist when pregnant.
If you have missed a period, do not wait for a long time to do a pregnancy test. Most of these home tests can detect the hCG, pregnancy hormone, by the time the period is missed. If your menstrual cycle is irregular, you may not know that your period is late; in that case, look for pregnancy symptoms like frequent urination, sore breasts, morning sickness, or change in smell or taste. If you notice these common pregnancy symptoms, do a home pregnancy test.
The best time to visit a gynecologist is before you are 8 weeks pregnant. If you have a regular menstrual period of a 28-day cycle, you will already be in the 5th week of your pregnancy. That is because the pregnancy is calculated from the first day of the last period, so by the time of your next period date, four weeks of pregnancy is completed. Pregnancy is calculated from the LMP, the last menstrual period, as it is impossible to know when conception occurs.
Once the home pregnancy test confirms that you are pregnant, you should book an appointment for your first prenatal visit. While most women start this after about 2 months of pregnancy, it is recommended that you visit earlier if you are at a high risk due to:
Expect the first visit to be longer than all other prenatal visits. That is because the doctor will thoroughly investigate the family's medical history, perform a comprehensive physical exam, do a pelvic exam, and perform other tests. You may also have to undergo blood tests, urine tests, STD tests, rarely, pap smears, and other such tests.
During the early stages of pregnancy, you will receive guidelines on lifestyle choices, such as daily exercise, proper nutrition, and prenatal supplements, to help with maternal health and the baby's healthy development.
If you have a complication-free pregnancy and your health is normal, you will have about 15 prenatal visits throughout your pregnancy. Your prenatal visits will be scheduled closer as the pregnancy progresses. The following is the timing for prenatal visits:
The above schedule is a reference, and you may need more visits with less time in between if you have preexisting medical issues or you have a high-risk pregnancy. Read below in more detail about the different stages during which you are recommended prenatal visits.
After the first scheduled appointment, what happens at the first prenatal visit is repeated, and every visit will involve a physical exam. Depending on your health, stage of pregnancy, and medical condition, tests specific to your needs will be recommended. As you proceed with your pregnancy, these visits may change to monitor the changes in your baby and you due to the specific medical conditions.
Even if your pregnancy has no complications and you feel healthy, you must have frequent prenatal visits, as that can make a difference in having a healthy baby with a smooth delivery. If you do not complete these scheduled visits, your baby may be at the risk of a low birth weight. Studies show that those babies who have not received prenatal care are three times more likely to be born with low birth weight. Plus, your baby is at the risk when you are not adequately monitored during pregnancy.
The two main reasons for low birth weight are premature birth (i.e., birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and fetal growth restriction, which prevents the baby from gaining weight. At prenatal visits, the baby's growth is monitored, and if there is any risk or complications, the problem is identified, and the risk of complications is reduced.
Prenatal visits also allow healthcare providers to observe and monitor the mother for conditions like gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, etc., which can damage the health of the mother and the baby.
A woman should see a doctor as soon as the home pregnancy kit shows a positive result. That helps confirm the pregnancy and provides valuable information about how to care for the mother and the baby.
If you are planning a pregnancy, you can consult your gynaecologist when you start trying to conceive. If you are not keen on a pre-pregnancy consultation, you can go as soon as you find out about your pregnancy. Your gynaecologist will order a clinical blood and urine test to confirm pregnancy and will follow it up with an ultrasound scan to ensure the pregnancy is safe.
No, it is okay to consult your doctor soon after you miss your period, as early as week 5. It is recommended to consult your gynaecologist for pregnancy around week 7 to determine a due date and to confirm the pregnancy is safe.
You can go to the doctor in your 5th or 6th week of pregnancy. By this time, the placenta will start producing progesterone and hCG, which the test strips can easily detect. If you are taking a blood or urine test within 5 weeks, it can detect the hormone more accurately than the strips. You can consult your doctor, who will confirm after checking the results, and take an ultrasound if necessary.
In the first few days after a pregnancy is confirmed, the gynaecologist will see you once a month until week 28. After 28 weeks, your doctor will ask to see you once every two weeks. After completing week 36, you will have to see your doctor every week. In total, you may see your gynaecologist about 10-15 times during one pregnancy.
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