What To Expect From Your First Prenatal Care Visit

After finding out you’re going to be a mother, you may be overwhelmed by feelings of excitement and even worry. The first step is to schedule a prenatal visit to establish the baby’s health and begin creating your health care plan. Here’s what you can expect during your first prenatal care visit.

When Does the First Prenatal Care Visit Happen?

Prenatal care is an important element of keeping moms-to-be and their baby healthy. The first visit usually occurs during your second month — between six and eight weeks of pregnancy. But you don’t have to wait until then to schedule; talk to an obstetrician as soon as you know you’re pregnant.

What Happens During the First Prenatal Care Visit?

At your first visit, your provider will collect a range of information to establish a baseline and look for signs of good health:

• Vitals: You’ll have your weight, height, blood pressure, and temperature measured.
• Blood testing: Drawing your blood informs your caregiver about health conditions that might impact your pregnancy. This can include watching for factors like low iron (anemia), hepatitis, measles immunity, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, or sexually transmitted infections and diseases (STIs and STDs).
• Urine sample: You’ll give a sample to test things like your urine protein levels and kidney function. This also confirms that you’re pregnant.
• Health history: Your doctor will ask many questions about your health and family history. Being as thorough as they can helps them provide the best possible care.
• Transvaginal ultrasound: This ultrasound will let you see how your fetus is developing. This procedure doesn’t happen at every first visit, but if you’re already around 10 to 12 weeks along, your doctor may use an external ultrasound to check for a fetal heartbeat.
• Breast and pelvic exams: These checks help caregivers detect abnormalities, like swelling or lumps, as well as confirm the presence of STIs or STDs.
• Due dates and care plans: Your doctor will use the information they collect to calculate when you’ll give birth, but this is just an estimate. They’ll also schedule your upcoming prenatal visits and receive any special care instructions.

Book Your First Prenatal Care Visit With Craig Ranch OB/GYN

Prenatal care visits are vital to healthy pregnancies. Schedule your first appointment with Craig Ranch OB/GYN today. You can book a consultation at our McKinney, TX, clinic online or call 214-544-6600.