What Happens in a Prenatal Check-Up Visit? Here’s What to Expect
When a woman gets pregnant, she’ll need to eat, take care of herself, and make choices for two–it’s a complete shift of lifestyle regimen. With optimal health and well-being in mind, an expecting mum must add a regular prenatal check-up visit to her routine.
Many mums could agree that there can be a sense of excitement for each visit, whether hearing their baby’s first heartbeat, seeing them via imaging scans, or learning about their estimated due date.
But beyond recording these milestones, the real essence of a prenatal check-up visit is to catch any concerns early, ensuring a smooth path toward childbirth.
First-time mother or not, here’s everything you can expect on your prenatal appointment.
What is a Prenatal Check-Up?
A prenatal check-up is one of the obstetrics services that involves visiting and checking your health with your doctor before your baby is born. It acts as a safety net for mothers and their children, with doctors spotting health problems and treating them early to prevent further complications.
Babies of mothers who skip prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to die compared to babies whose mothers receive regular prenatal care. So, getting you and your baby checked is essential to ensure optimal health throughout and after giving birth.
In a prenatal visit, your health provider will check your health history and weight, perform a physical exam, or get some tests done–all different for each trimester. If a pregnant woman is over 35 years old or if your pregnancy is categorised to be a high-risk one because of problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes, your doctor might want to see you more often.
Your healthcare provider can schedule your pregnancy check-up, but you can look forward to seeing them more as you come closer to your due date.
When Do Prenatal Check-Ups Typically Start?
Your first prenatal appointment can be sometime after your pregnancy’s eighth week. Unless you have a pre-existing medical condition, a history of pregnancy complications, or are experiencing spotting, bleeding, abdominal pain, or severe nausea, most healthcare providers will not arrange an earlier visit.
During your prenatal check-up, your doctor may use terms such as “trimesters,” which measure how far along a woman is in her pregnancy. Below is a quick overview of trimesters in months and weeks
- First trimester: 0-3 months, 0-12 weeks
- Second trimester: 4-6 months, 13-27 weeks
- Third trimester: 7-9 months, 28-40 weeks
While trimesters are common in the pregnancy dictionary, most doctors talk about a pregnancy in weeks rather than months or trimesters.
What to Expect During the First Prenatal Visit
When you find out you’re pregnant, contacting your OB Gynae for your first prenatal visit is always best. This way, you could build a healthy foundation for your and your baby’s well-being early.
If this is your first time expecting a child, here’s a detailed breakdown of what to expect during a prenatal check-up:
- Review of medical history: On your first prenatal checkup, your healthcare provider can ask about your menstrual cycle, past pregnancies (if applicable), family and personal medical history, medications you take, lifestyle, or even your travel history to places where common infectious diseases are common.
- Physical exam: Body changes for women are bound to happen during pregnancy, especially gaining weight. However, you have to be conscious of the ideal weight to gain for a healthy pregnancy. A physical exam can help identify how much weight you need to increase. Other aspects of a physical exam are breast, pelvic, and pap exams.
- Lab tests: Lab tests are another type of prenatal exam. It can include blood and urine, among others.
- Possible early prenatal ultrasound: An ultrasound may also be possible during your prenatal visit, depending on the week of pregnancy.
Common Questions During Prenatal Check-Ups
Your prenatal care visit is the ideal time for you and your doctor to talk about any concerns you have, discuss your health and the baby’s development, and plan for the upcoming stages of pregnancy and delivery.
To maximise this opportunity for a healthy pregnancy, we have listed some common prenatal questions expecting mothers can ask their doctors.
- Do you recommend a specific prenatal vitamin?
- What symptoms should I expect? Do you have any tips on how I can manage them?
- Which symptoms are not normal to experience?
- What type of exercise(s) do you recommend?
- How much weight should I gain?
- What are my food restrictions? And which food should I consume more?
- Is caffeine safe for me?
- Which over-the-counter (OTC) medications should I avoid? Which are safe for me?
- Any screenings or tests I should expect throughout my pregnancy?
Preparing for Your Prenatal Check-Up
Get the most out of your first pregnancy doctor visit by preparing ahead of time. Take note of the following for your prenatal visit preparation:
- What to bring to a prenatal check-up? Lists.
List down the questions to ask your doctor prior to the visit, medications you are taking, personal and family medical history, and previous surgical records, if relevant. - Bring a companion for emotional support
Whether it’s your partner, a family member, or a friend, having someone by your side during your pregnancy check-up can help you get valuable support, making you feel at ease. They can also help you jot down some notes as needed. - Prepare information on your menstrual period
It would be helpful to give your menstrual period information to your doctor, especially the date of the first day of your last cycle. If you have a date of when your baby was conceived, you can also pass that information on to your healthcare provider. - Get ready for the questions your doctor will ask.
Your OB Gynae will ask about your history, lifestyle, and several things they need to ensure you have a healthy pregnancy. - Check clinic location beforehand
Research your doctor’s clinic location to ensure a smoother arrival. Additionally, look into parking information to avoid any last-minute stress.
Ready for your first prenatal visit?
Having a little one on the way means doubling your efforts to prioritise and maintain your well-being–a change in your habits and routine is expected. Part of this is ensuring a healthy pregnancy under the guidance of a trusted OB Gynae in Singapore through regular prenatal visits.
These prenatal care visits play a vital role in monitoring your health, addressing any potential issues early, and providing you with essential guidance and support.
By staying proactive about your prenatal care, you can help pave the way for a smoother pregnancy and a healthier delivery.
Comprehensive and high-quality healthcare is what you need, and Eden Women’s Health, led by Dr. Sheri Lim, is committed to providing just that. Our compassionate team is here to assist you, addressing your concerns with expertise and empathy at every stage of your pregnancy.