Each stage of pregnancy comes with its own milestones, challenges, and safety precautions. Every prenatal appointment along the way ensures you and your baby stay on track and healthy. Here, we will break down what to expect at each round of prenatal appointments, including what your healthcare provider is looking for, what precautions you need to take, and which tests may be recommended.
Your First Prenatal Care Appointment
This is a big one! Your first prenatal care appointment is certainly the most exciting, and its timing can vary based on the practice. You should call your provider as soon as you find out you are pregnant to determine the best time to come in, which is typically between 6 and 10 weeks. Andrea Chisholm, MD, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with over 20 years of clinical experience, explains that during your first appointment, your OB/GYN will discuss your medical history (including your partner and family history) and give you a physical exam. You will also undergo a number of routine prenatal lab tests, where they will screen for infectious diseases (such as HIV, hep B/C, and syphilis), STIs, and immunity to rubella and chickenpox. During your first visit, you may or may not get an ultrasound depending on your provider or risk factors determined from your medical history. Your provider will check your blood pressure, may perform a pap smear or pelvic exam, and discuss a prenatal game plan for the coming months, including a potential due date, which prenatal vitamins to take, and any necessary lifestyle and dietary changes. “This is [also] the appointment where your OB provider will decide if any additional early testing or intervention is needed,” says Dr. Chisholm.
Your Second Prenatal Care Appointment
From weeks 4 to 28 of pregnancy, you will visit your OB/GYN once a month, so your second visit will be four weeks from your initial visit. There may be more discussion about genetic testing at this appointment and your urine may be screened to watch for infection. Your weight and blood pressure will be checked, which is something you can come to expect from every prenatal appointment moving forward.
14 to 16 Weeks Prenatal Care Appointments
Welcome to the second trimester! Between 14 and 16 weeks, you’ll undergo the usual blood pressure and weight-gain check, and your doctor will monitor your baby’s heartbeat. Dr. Chisholm explains that there may be continued discussion about genetic testing and a possible screening for neural tube defects with an AFP (or alpha-fetoprotein test). “If you are at an increased risk for gestational diabetes your provider may [also] suggest an early glucose challenge test,” she says.
18 to 22 Weeks Prenatal Care Appointments
Between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, you will likely get the ultrasound you’ve been so anxiously awaiting—the anatomy scan! This is where you can find out the sex of the tiny human you’ve been growing for the past few months. For some, this may be the first ultrasound since becoming pregnant. Around 20 weeks of pregnancy, your healthcare provider will begin to measure your belly to check your baby’s growth (or the uterine fundal height). They do this by measuring from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus, which helps ensure your baby’s growth is on track for how far along you are. You can expect this at every appointment moving forward.
22 to 26 Weeks Prenatal Care Appointments
Dr. Chisholm explains that between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy, you can expect a glucose challenge screening test, which screens for gestational diabetes. You will be asked to drink a sweet liquid (glucose), wait one hour, and then have your blood drawn. The blood test examines how well your body processes sugar.
28 to 36 Weeks Prenatal Care Appointments
Hello, third trimester! Your prenatal visits will now increase to every two weeks until you hit the 36-week mark. Your OB/GYN will continue to check your blood pressure, weight, and baby’s heartbeat, but will also focus on your baby’s position (head-down versus breech). Your provider may also give you a Tdap vaccination during this time, which protects you and your baby against pertussis (or whooping cough), which can be very dangerous for an infant. Around 35 weeks, you will also be tested for Group B streptococcus, a bacteria that can cause severe infections in newborns if not treated during labor. If you test positive, don’t worry! The test simply shows that you have the bacteria in your body, not that it will cause illness in you or your baby. This can be treated with antibiotics during labor to ensure a safe delivery.
36 to 40 Weeks Prenatal Care Appointments
Once you hit 36 weeks pregnant (the home stretch!), you will start having weekly OB visits until delivery day. During the last few weeks of visits, your OB will start checking your cervix to see if dilation is taking place. They will also be able to determine whether your baby is in the head-down position and ready for labor. You will go over any final preparations, how to time your contractions, and when it’s time to call your healthcare provider.
40 to 42 Weeks Prenatal Care Appointments
There are times when a baby may take longer than anticipated to make their big debut. Most times, your healthcare provider will allow the pregnancy to take its course until you reach 41 weeks, after which they will begin running tests to make sure the baby is okay. If your little one is active, healthy, and the amniotic fluid amount is sufficient, they may decide to wait it out until labor begins. On the other hand, if you are approaching 42 weeks pregnant with no signs of active labor, induction may be the best option to secure the health of you and your baby. Once you reach this point, the placenta may stop working as well as it should, causing a decrease in oxygen and nutrients for the baby. Your OB/GYN may choose to start the induction process to get labor moving, or a C-section may be needed if there is fetal distress or labor is not starting or progressing as it should.
A Word From Verywell
While you’ve gotten a general run-down of each prenatal appointment, it’s important to keep in mind that every pregnancy is different. Remember to bring any questions you have to each doctor’s visit, and don’t be afraid to ask them! Your OB/GYN is there to guide you every step of the way and ensure you and your baby receive the absolute best care, treatment, and delivery possible.
