Why is prenatal care important?
Prenatal care involves going through routine exams, screenings, and laboratory testing throughout your pregnancy to ensure both you and baby are healthy. Your personalized prenatal care is important to:
- Detect pregnancy-related complications like preeclampsia
- Ensure you’re getting the proper nutrients
- Check your baby for birth defects
- Plan your labor and delivery
While prenatal care is important for all expecting mothers, it’s particularly essential for high-risk pregnancies. These cases, which can include advanced maternal age over 35 or being pregnant with more than one baby, mean that you need additional monitoring throughout your pregnancy.
What happens during a prenatal exam?
The caring team at Signature Women’s Healthcare is dedicated to ensuring your pregnancy is as happy and healthy as possible. Depending on where you’re at in your pregnancy and whether or not you have any health concerns — like gestational diabetes — your OB/GYN could perform any of the following services during prenatal visits:
- Nutritional counseling
- Breast and pelvic exam
- Height and weight check
- Blood pressure and pulse check
- Measurement of the growth of your belly
- Blood testing for diabetes, infections, and anemia
- Sexually transmitted disease and infection (STD and STI) testing
You might also have ultrasounds during your prenatal care exams at Signature Women’s Healthcare. This way, you can see your new baby and get pictures, while your doctor can evaluate your baby’s health and development.
How often do I need a prenatal visit?
You’re encouraged to book a preconception appointment if you’re trying to get pregnant, so your OB/GYN can conduct screenings to determine if you have any issues that might affect your fertility or a pregnancy.
If you took a home pregnancy test and recently discovered that you’re pregnant, you should schedule a prenatal visit at Signature Women’s Healthcare to confirm your pregnancy and get started on ongoing prenatal care.
In general, prenatal visits occur as follows:
- Every 4-6 weeks through week 31
- Every 2-3 weeks for weeks 32-37
- Once a week from week 37 until you deliver
If you have a high-risk pregnancy or any health concerns, your dedicated OB/GYN at Signature Women’s Healthcare may schedule you for more frequent visits.
You can receive the compassionate prenatal care you deserve at Signature Women’s Healthcare. Find out more by booking a prenatal exam online or over the phone today.
