Expecting moms and their unborn babies receive personalized attention and exceptional medical monitoring when they schedule their prenatal care at Burlington OBGYN Associates Inc. in Burlington, Massachusetts. The caring obstetricians listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and provide all the medical treatment and support needed during your pregnancy and delivery. Call Burlington OBGYN Associates Inc. or use the online booking feature to schedule your prenatal care today.
You should schedule your first prenatal visit as soon as you know or suspect you’re pregnant. Most women have prenatal appointments scheduled at the following intervals:
Women with high-risk pregnancies usually need more frequent prenatal appointments so their provider can closely monitor their health and pregnancy.
During your first prenatal visit, your provider learns about your medical, gynecologic, and menstrual histories. They also learn about previous pregnancies and issues that affect your pregnancy and baby, like chronic diseases, whether you take certain medication, and if you smoke or drink alcohol.
At your first visit, they also do a pelvic exam, take a Pap smear, determine your due date, and recommend prenatal vitamins.
At each follow-up exam, your provider takes your temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Then they check your baby’s growth and listen for a heartbeat. They also test your urine to look for signs of common problems like gestational diabetes and urinary tract infections.
Your prenatal visits allow you to get help with problems like morning sickness, swollen ankles, and muscle cramps. As you get closer to your due date, your provider discusses your delivery options and joining childbirth classes.
Your provider performs routine blood tests at certain times throughout your pregnancy. These tests screen for:
You will also have standard genetic or chromosomal screenings. These screenings reveal if your baby is at risk for certain birth defects. You need more invasive testing to verify the presence of problems.
Your provider may perform an ultrasound any time they believe it’s needed to monitor your baby’s health. Some women have an ultrasound around six weeks to verify their due date and see if they’re carrying multiple babies. Otherwise, all women have at least one ultrasound around weeks 18-20.
The 18-20 week ultrasound is a routine procedure to evaluate your baby’s growth and development and the health of the placenta. This ultrasound may also reveal your baby’s sex.
Call Burlington OBGYN Associates Inc. or use online booking to schedule a pregnancy test or start your prenatal care.