Your OB Appointments
The prenatal care that you receive during your pregnancy is essential to maintaining both your health and your baby's health.
Your First Appointment
Your first OB appointment will be scheduled with one of our nurse practitioners, who will be able to answer any questions you may have.
This appointment can take up to an hour and a half, including an exam and a Pap smear if you are due, discussion and vaginal ultrasound if indicated.
At the conclusion of your appointment, blood tests are ordered to determine RH and blood type, Rubella (measles) immunity, blood count and thyroid condition.
We also test for bladder infection, syphilis, hepatitis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and HIV.
If your Pap smear and blood tests are normal, results will be discussed at your second OB visit with your physician.
Follow-Up Appointments
You will return for prenatal appointments throughout your pregnancy with either your provider or one of our nurse practitioners.
During the first 28 weeks of pregnancy, you will visit your practitioner about once a month.
Your visits will increase to twice monthly until you are 36 weeks pregnant.
Following 36 weeks, you will routinely see your practitioner every week.
Your Appointments By Gestational Age
6-8 Weeks
- OB Education Class (group class taught by a clinic RN)
8-10 Weeks | Confirmation of Pregnancy Appointment
- First visit with a Nurse Practitioner
- Discuss optional and screening tests
- Sonosite ultrasound to check dates and/or size if indicated
- Labs: OB Panel including CBC, hepatitis B, syphilis, rubella immunity, thyroid screening, blood type, Rh status and iron levels. A urine pregnancy test, urine culture and urine gonorrhea and chlamydia screenings are done.
- Optional testing: HIV screening, cystic fibrosis screening, carrier screening
12 Weeks | First Appointment with Provider (20 min)
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure
- Fetal heart tones if desired
- Optional: first trimester screening blood test; ultrasound if having the first trimester screening
16 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Optional: MSAFP for neural tube defect screening
20 Weeks | Ultrasound
- Routine appointment with provider
- Routine ultrasound to check anatomy (can find out gender if desired)
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Receive glucola bottle with instructions for gestational diabetes screening at next visit
24 Weeks | Gestational Diabetes Screening
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Labs: 1-hour glucose tolerance test (screening for gestational diabetes) and CBC (checking iron levels)
- Antibody screen is drawn for patients who are Rh negative
28 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Patients who are Rh negative with a negative antibody screen receive a Rhogam injection
- Patients receive a 28-week packet with information about registering at the Family Maternity Center, fetal kick counts, cord blood banking and selecting a pediatrician
30 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
32 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
34 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
36 Weeks | Group B Strep Culture
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Cervical exam and Group B Strep culture
37 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
38 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Cervix check if desired
39 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Cervix check
40 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Cervix check
41-42 Weeks
- Routine appointment with provider
- Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones
- Cervix check
- Non-Stress test
Non-Stress Test
A non-stress test (NST) is used in pregnancies over 28 weeks' gestation if indicated. It's a simple, non-invasive test performed in our office.
An NST may be performed if:
- You sense that the baby is not moving as frequently as usual
- You are overdue
- There is any reason to suspect that the placenta is not functioning adequately
- You are high risk for any other reason
The test involves placing one belt around the mother's abdomen to measure the baby's heart rate and another belt to measure contractions (if any).
Movement, heart rate and reactivity of heart rate to movement are measured for 20-30 minutes.
If the baby does not move, it does not necessarily indicate that there is a problem; the baby could just be asleep.
A nurse may use a few non-invasive techniques to wake the baby for the remainder of the test.
A non-reactive NST can result in further testing/evaluation.
