What to Expect During Prenatal Care Visits

Pregnancy is an exciting time in a woman's life, but the positive pregnancy test is only the first step. Over nine months, your body undergoes significant changes as a tiny human grows inside your uterus.

Prenatal care visits are an essential aspect of every woman's pregnancy. They allow us to evaluate you and your baby's health and find issues early on to avoid complications during pregnancy and birth.

At OB-GYN North Dallas, our experienced OB/GYN physicians offer prenatal visits as an essential part of pregnancy. We’re experts in various obstetric issues, including high-risk pregnancies and infertility.

Understanding prenatal care

Prenatal care is a blanket term that describes the medical care and education a woman gets during pregnancy. Prenatal appointments help us watch your and your growing baby's health to ensure a safe delivery.

The goal of prenatal care is to ensure both of you are healthy throughout every trimester. The purpose of each appointment is to:

• Provide education for healthy habits
• Find any complications and treat them
• Prepare for delivery and make a plan
• Offer emotional support

You should get prenatal care as soon as you find out you're pregnant. The sooner you seek care, the healthier you and your unborn baby will be.

Your first prenatal care visit

After finding out you're pregnant, schedule your first prenatal appointment. It usually happens between weeks six and 10 of pregnancy. At your first appointment, you can expect the following:

Pregnancy confirmation
We confirm pregnancy with either a urine or blood test. We ask you about your last period to help determine your due date.

Ultrasound
We also perform an ultrasound during your first OB visit to confirm the pregnancy’s viability, accurately determine gestational age, and identify the number of fetuses. Ultrasound is a safe and essential tool that gives you the first glimpse of your baby and helps us ensure everything is developing as it should.
Our practice is proud to be AIUM (American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine) certified, which means our ultrasound procedures meet the highest national standards for quality and safety.

Physical exam
We perform a comprehensive physical exam, including a pelvic exam, to assess your uterus and cervix. We take your height, weight, and blood pressure as a baseline for the rest of your pregnancy.

Medical history

At your initial appointment, we discuss your medical history and family history. It's essential to determine any issues that could arise during pregnancy.

Blood tests

We sometimes do bloodwork at your initial appointment to determine blood type and Rh factor, and to get a baseline on other critical levels. You may also opt for genetic testing to find out if there are any issues with your baby.

Prenatal care plan

Depending on your age, health, and other factors, we help you come up with a prenatal care plan. The plan includes appointment schedules, ultrasound visits, and when to expect other screenings.

Questions

Your first prenatal care visit is a good time to ask any questions you have about your or your baby's health. We guide you through any concerns so you can leave confident and ready for pregnancy.

What to expect during each trimester

After your initial visit, you come back for other prenatal visits at varying frequencies. Women who are at high risk or of advanced maternal age need to visit us more than younger, healthier women.

At each appointment, we discuss any concerns you have after collecting additional information, which may include:

• Vitals
• Abdominal measurement
• Fetal heartbeat analysis
• Swelling check
• Fetal movement discussion

You may have an ultrasound to determine any problems or to see the baby. Around 20 weeks, we do an anatomy scan to ensure your baby has all their essential body parts. At this appointment, you can find out if you're having a boy or a girl, if you'd like.

As your pregnancy progresses, your prenatal appointments are frequent, especially during the third trimester.

We strive to provide you with everything you need before, during, and after pregnancy. Call us at our office in Plano, Texas, today to schedule a prenatal visit, or use our convenient online booking tool.