If you just learned about your pregnancy, congratulations! You need to visit an obstetrician more often for nine months. Early monitoring and prenatal care result in favorable childbirths.
Several best obstetricians in Melbourne are helping the women by keeping them mentally and physically fit. Also, supporting to reduce the chances of preterm delivery, and treat complications during labor and childbirth. Right pregnancy care and treatment will ensure the good health of you and your baby.
Wondering how often should you visit an obstetrician? Read our guide and learn about it in detail!
Usually, an obstetrician recommends the first visit when you are pregnant for about 10 to 12 weeks. Ultrasound is done between 5 to 8 weeks to confirm pregnancy. Generally, this appointment lasts for a longer time than any other visit and includes physical and prenatal tests.
Doctors will discuss your medical history and perform a few necessary physical exams like Pap tests. In addition, they will go for certain prenatal lab screening for Rh factor, urine test, blood test, anemia, hepatitis B, and rubella immunity.
If you have any questions related to your pregnancy, the first prenatal visit is the right opportunity to discuss your concerns with your obstetrician.
For a healthy pregnancy, you will be asked to regularly visit an obstetrician:
Doctors will measure the weight, blood pressure level, and heart rate. They generally check the heartbeat of the fetal between 10-12 weeks with the help of a hand-held doppler. Additionally, OB/GYNs monitor the uterus size and perform urine tests.
Remember that, you require to often see an obstetrician if your pregnancy is complicated(that includes gestational diabetes or twin, or triplet pregnancy).
With regular check-ups, some prenatal visits also include health screenings. Here is the checklist of routine screenings and at what stage of pregnancy they generally take place.
When the pregnancy reaches the 20th week, doctors perform an anatomy ultrasound. This sonography helps to diagnose the fetal anomalies, gender, size, and weight of the infants. It assures the right growth and development of the growing baby.
Typically, during anatomy ultrasound, the following parts of the fetal are checked:
Though diet and exercise can prevent gestational diabetes, if it's a high-risk pregnancy case, do consult an obstetrician. Doctors suggest treatments that range from strict diet plans to insulin injections.
On the other hand, anemia develops when the blood volume and red blood cell production decrease. Your OB/GYNs will prescribe some multivitamins and iron supplements. Maintaining blood sugar levels can help in keeping you and your growing child healthy and reduce complications during delivery.
You should get diphtheria and tetanus vaccines to protect your baby. Keep in mind, even if you got vaccinated earlier, it is essential to have the dose during each pregnancy. It is because antibodies can build up in the right amount and pass to the growing infant.
If you’ll be found Rh negative, your obstetrician will provide a "RhoGAM shot" during 28th week of the trimester and after 72 hours of delivery. It will prevent the growth of abnormal abnormalities.
Generally, healthy and young-age women test positive for the group B strep bacteria. Though it doesn’t impact the health of a mother, there can be the possibility of it passing to the infant at the time of birth. This can put the child at risk. So, professionals recommend some antibiotics for protection.
The recommended schedules by an obstetrician are not always fixed. Doctors will determine it by analyzing your health conditions. They will ask to visit more if your body develops complications before or during the pregnancy.
Your obstetrician will increase the number of visits if you will have any of the mentioned risk factors below:
Luckily, there are most women who are able to give birth to healthy babies at the age of 35 and above. Unfortunately, it is not the case in a few pregnancies, where women are over 35. There are chances of severe birth defects and high complications in pregnancy.
If you have health history of gestational high blood pressure or diabetes in your pregnancies before, your obstetrician will ask to visit more often. The doctor will closely monitor the complications so that they do not adversely impact your pregnancy or infant's health.
In prenatal check-ups, your obstetrician will analyze complications that can occur in any trimester of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes and preeclampsia are mainly among them. If any of these medical issues are diagnosed, your doctor might need to take close care and treatment.
Mostly, twin babies are born small in size as compared to average. There might occur issues in the placenta during the pregnancy. In addition, twins can be at risk of twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
In this health condition, one of the babies would have a large amount of amniotic fluid and blood while the other has too less. So, in such a situation, Melbourne obstetricians recommend ultrasound every two weeks at the 16th week to properly examine the twins for twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
If you have faced premature birth or preterm labor in your prior pregnancy, your OB will probably like to monitor your health with careful attention.
It's not a good idea to delay scheduling your prenatal appointment with your obstetrician when you are pregnant. It should be your responsibility to make sure your and your baby's good health. Additionally, you need the strength to face the challenges of each trimester.
When a mother is healthy, it ensures a nurturing environment for the right growth and development of an infant. So, do book the appointments with concerned doctors and visit whenever required till the delivery.
