Wednesday, October 28, 2020

A Helpful Guide to Prepare You for the First Prenatal Visit

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Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels



Congratulations on this exciting news! Now that you have found out you’re pregnant and took some time to deal with this great news. It’s time to make your first prenatal appointment. Once that’s done, you are probably left wondering what will go on during your first prenatal check-up? Well, this will be one of your longest ones because so much is involved in it. 


Things To Prepare for in Advance


  • Have a list of all current medications and vitamins you are taking, so the doctor is aware of this and can let you know what is safe for your baby, and whatever is not, he or she might suggest an alternative.


  • Jot down all your medical history, your family’s, and your partners
    Your doctor will need to know this information. It will be of help to you, your baby, and your doctor. Then he or she can take any necessary precautions for any potential health problems or hereditary diseases.


  • Take some time to write a list of questions you or your partner may have. You can either have it in a notebook or on your phone. Usually, there is an app on the phone for notes. If not, you can download it on your phone.




The Day of the Appointment


  • Bring your information with you that you had prepared in advance, either in a notebook or on the phone.


  • Urine test- to confirm your pregnancy and also check for any infections or problems with your urine. 


  • Complete Physical Exam and Medical History- especially getting baseline numbers of your blood pressure to follow you through all your appointments. Also, check your height and weight to make sure you gain the appropriate amount of weight that may not cause health concerns to both you and your baby. He or she will be asking you questions during this time about you, your family, and the partner’s medical history.


  • Pelvic Exam - to check for any STD’s or Cervical Cancer. If you recently had one, you may not get looked at again, but if you had an abnormal result, he or she would conduct another one.



  • Blood Work- to see your blood type and check for your HCG levels, infections, or any problems in your blood. Also, check RH status to know if you are either RH positive or negative. If you are negative, you will have to take certain precautions during your pregnancy. Your doctor will discuss that with you.



  • Ultrasound- this test will give you an accurate due date and how long you are in your pregnancy.



  • Questions- Don’t forget to ask your doctor any questions you have prepared in advance, so you don’t feel unsure about anything in particular. Such as what is safe to take for headaches, fevers, eat, exercise, just to name a few.



  • Schedule - Remember to schedule your next appointment and always be sure to keep up with them all. It’s crucial for both you and your developing baby.





If you have any tips, you would like to share. Please do so in the comments. Until next time.



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