During pregnancy, an OBGYN is involved with the mother and the developing fetus from the first few weeks of development right through delivery. Your OBGYN will provide regular monitoring, diet and exercise suggestions and testing and treatment should any problems arise. Here's what to expect from your OBGYN, and some tips for getting the best care.
Initial Appointment
Schedule your first appointment as soon as you suspect that you're pregnant. At your first OBGYN exam, questions will be asked about your health, your partner's health and your medical history. Vital signs will be taken. There may be an attempt to find the baby's heartbeat, or that may wait until your pregnancy reaches 12 weeks.
Blood will be drawn for testing your blood cell count, diseases, blood type and the presence of Rh antibodies. There may be more tests done to indicate whether you have antibodies for various childhood diseases, such as chicken pox, rubella, measles or mumps.
General Appointments
You will have general wellness check appointments monthly. At each visit, your vitals and weight will be recorded. Your OBGYN will check the fetal heartbeat with a Doppler, a device that uses sound waves to amplify the womb sounds and zeros in on the fetal heartbeat. The rate of the heartbeat will be recorded to be sure it is a normal for your baby's stage of development. Your belly will also be measured as it grows to be sure that the fetus is growing as it should.
Special Tests
Screening for neural-tube defects, Downs Syndrome and genetic abnormalities, will be done with a blood test at 16 to 18 weeks. This is called the quad-screen. It doesn't test the baby itself, but if your results fall into a certain range, further testing, such as Amniocentesis, will be performed. Amniocentesis is not performed unless the quad-screen indicates a need for it.
At 18 to 20 weeks, a full ultrasound will often be done to see the size of the baby. The amount of amniotic fluid, the head size and your baby's gender may be checked as well. If you do not want to know the gender, just tell your ultrasound technician.
Frequency of Appointments
Your appointments will be every other week during the first two trimesters. As you get closer to your due date, around 40 weeks, you will have weekly appointments. As your due date nears, your OBGYN may perform a pelvic exam to see if your cervix is dilated or getting soft, indications of approaching delivery. It's important that this doesn't happen too early, so there may be a cervix check around 34 weeks and another at 38 weeks. This depends on the ease of your pregnancy and if there have been any complications. Your OBGYN will decide the right timing for your cervix checks.
The OBGYN will give you suggestions and answer your questions at each appointment. He or she will also be there to deliver the baby. Most OBGYNs will assist with delivery, but they won't be there for labor unless there are complications..
 | Prenatal vitamins are not a substitute for a healthy diet during pregnancy, but they can help you get recommended daily levels of vitamins and minerals that would be hard to achieve in the average diet. |
 | It's one of the most common questions pregnant women ask: When should I start taking prenatal vitamins? |
 | For high-risk pregnancies, a perinatologist's specialized care offers advantages over the generalized care an obstetrician provides. |
So you found out you're pregnant, Congratulations! But what comes next? First off, of course you're going to want to make an OB/GYN appointment, however don't just go with any OB. Ask around from your friends and family, and ask about their personal experiences with their OB. |
At one point and time all first time mothers to be are in unchartered territory. As a new mother to be, you rely on the expertise of your OB/GYN to ensure that you have a safe and healthy delivery. There are some circumstances that are unavoidable and no OB/GYN can foresee, however, there are things that can be avoided if the OB/GYN is doing their job properly. |
