How many ob visits during pregnancy

March of Dimes. Prenatal Care Checkups. Prenatal Care and Tests. What happens during prenatal visits? What is a high-risk pregnancy? What are some factors that make a pregnancy high-risk? Preparing for Your First Prenatal Visit. National Health Service UK. Prenatal care in your third trimester. UCLA Health. Schedule of prenatal care. UCR Health. Mayo Clinic. Prenatal care: 1 st trimesters visits.

Join now to personalize. Photo credit: Thinkstock. When to schedule a prenatal visit Prenatal visitation schedule How should I prepare for a prenatal visit? How can I make the most of my pregnancy appointments? When to schedule a prenatal visit Make an appointment for your first prenatal visit once you're aware you are pregnant — when you receive a positive home pregnancy test, for example.

Prenatal visitation schedule Typically, a pregnant woman will visit their doctor, midwife , or nurse practitioner every four weeks during the first and second trimesters. For more information on what happens at these visits, see: Your first prenatal visit Second trimester prenatal visits 14 weeks to 27 weeks Third trimester prenatal visits 28 weeks through the end of pregnancy The specific number of scheduled appointments you'll have depends on if your pregnancy is considered to be high-risk.

How should I prepare for a prenatal visit? Your midwife, doctor, or nurse practitioner will also: Check your weight , blood pressure , and urine Check for swelling Measure your abdomen Check the position of your baby Listen to your baby's heartbeat Perform other exams and order tests, as appropriate Give you the appropriate vaccinations Closely monitor any complications you have or that you develop, and intervene if necessary Near the end of your pregnancy, your provider may also do a pelvic exam to check for cervical changes.

Here are some things you can do to ensure that your prenatal visits are satisfying: Speak up. Your practitioner isn't a mind reader and won't be able to tell what you're thinking just by performing a physical exam.

So, if anything is bothering you, say your piece. Are you having trouble controlling your heartburn? Managing your constipation? Contact our office to arrange your first prenatal visit as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed.

While most women start their prenatal visits at about eight weeks of pregnancy, we may recommend that you begin your visits earlier if your pregnancy is considered high-risk due to:.

Your first appointment is typically longer than other prenatal visits. It includes a comprehensive physical exam, pelvic exam, and medical history. You may also have a Pap smear and other tests such as a blood test, STD test, and urine test.

At this early stage of pregnancy, we give you lifestyle guidelines, such as maintaining proper nutrition, exercising daily, and taking prenatal vitamins to support your health and the healthy development of your baby. Your visits are scheduled closer together as your pregnancy progresses. Is the office staff friendly and helpful? Who takes care of phone calls during office hours? Who handles them after hours or in an emergency?

Do you have to pay if your provider spends time with you on the phone? Is the provider in group practice? If yes, will you always see your provider at prenatal care checkups? Or will you see other providers in the practice? What hospital or birthing center does the provider use? What do you know about it? Is it easy for you to get to? How often do you go for prenatal care checkups? Most pregnant women can follow a schedule like this: Weeks 4 to 28 of pregnancy.

Go for one checkup every 4 weeks once a month. Weeks 28 to 36 of pregnancy. Go for one checkup every 2 weeks twice a month. Weeks 36 to 41 of pregnancy. Go for one checkup every week once a week. How can you get ready for your first prenatal care checkup? Be ready to talk with your provider about: The first day of your last menstrual period also called LMP. Health conditions you have , like depression , diabetes , high blood pressure , and not being at a healthy weight.

Conditions like these can cause problems during pregnancy. Tell your provider about your family health history. This is a record of any health conditions and treatments that you, your partner and everyone in your families have had.

If you have a record of your vaccinations , take it to your checkup. A vaccination is a shot that contains a vaccine that helps protect you from certain harmful infections.

Medicines you take , including prescription medicine , over-the-counter medicine, supplements and herbal products. Some medicines can hurt your baby if you take them during pregnancy, so you may need to stop taking it or switch to another medicine. You may be allergic to a medicine if it makes you sneeze, itch, get a rash or have trouble breathing when you take it. Your pregnancy history. Miscarriage is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy. Stillbirth is when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Smoking, drinking alcohol, using street drugs and abusing prescription drugs. All of these can hurt your baby. Alcohol includes beer, wine and liquor. Street drugs are illegal to use, like heroin and cocaine.

Abusing prescription drugs means you use them differently than your provider tells you to. Stress you feel. Stress is worry, strain or pressure that you feel in response to things that happen in your life. Talk to your provide about ways to deal with and reduce your stress.

High levels of stress can cause complications during pregnancy. Your safety at home and work. Tell your provider about chemicals you use at home or work and about what kind of job you have. What happens at your first prenatal care checkup? Regular prenatal checkups are the way to find out. Back to Top. In This Article. Continue Reading Below.

Recommended Reading. Prenatal Testing During Pregnancy. The Benefits of Prenatal Testing. View Sources. Mayo Clinic, Edema , October Jennifer Leighdon Wu, M. Pregnancy Groups.

First Trimester.