Expectant Mothers

What to expect at your visits

During your pregnancy you will be offered many routine tests that can let you know about the health of your baby. Below is a brief description of what pregnancy services expectant mothers should expect during the prenatal visits leading up to delivery.

• 6-10 Weeks- Usually on your first visit you will be seen by a physician, Nurse Practitioner, or Nurse Midwife. At this time they will perform a pelvic exam including a pap smear along with cultures to detect sexually transmitted diseases.
• 10-14 Weeks- Genetics testing & OB labs – Complete blood count, Blood type, Rubella, Syphilis, Hepatitis B & C, HIV and Herpes, Also, 1st part of generic screening will be drawn.
• 14-16 Weeks- Education visit – Meet a Nurse Practitioner and discuss family history and pregnancy in more detail. Second part of genetic screening will also be drawn
• 20-24 Weeks- Anatomy and Gender Ultrasound – Detailed review of fetal structures and determination of the sex of the baby. Genitalia are present at this time, but we cannot guarantee full visualization of genitalia and accuracy.
• 24-26 Weeks- Gestational Diabetes Screen – Mandatory for all of our expectant mothers to complete 1 hour test in office. You do not have to fast for this test, but you should not eat or drink anything containing large amounts of sugar.
• 28-30 Weeks- This is a good time to preregister for delivery. A registration packet is available at the front desk. Registration is located on the 2nd floor of the North Tower at Piedmont Henry Hospital. You will need the registration packet, your picture ID and your insurance card to register.
• 34-36 Weeks- Until now most of your visits have been monthly. You will now have biweekly visits. At this visit you will have a pelvic exam for Group B Strep. If you have tested positive with a previous pregnancy you will be retested. Group B Strep can be normal for women, but can be serious if the baby is exposed to it at birth. If you are positive you will receive antibiotics during labor.
• 36-40 Weeks- You will now be seen weekly, it is important to keep all appointments so that we can make sure both you and your baby are healthy.

How to know that you’re in labor.

• Contractions- Contractions are often described as cramp-like feelings, usually starting in the lower back and radiating to your belly. During a contraction your belly will become hard and when it is over it will become soft again. Start timing your contractions. First time the interval, start counting at the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next, this is how far apart they are. Write down how far apart they are. Once your contractions are about 5 minutes apart call the office. You also need to be timing the duration, how long they last. Start counting at the beginning of a contraction to the end of that contraction. Write this down too.
• Rupture of Membranes- This is what happens when your water breaks. Some women think it will be a gush of fluid, but sometimes it is a nonstop trickle. If you are not sure, call the office.
• Bleeding- It is very common toward the end of pregnancy to have a pink or reddish spotting after a vaginal exam or after intercourse. This is normal. In the last few weeks of pregnancy, you may notice a thick mucus vaginal discharge that may be streaked with blood this is also normal and is called “show.” If you notice any bright red vaginal bleeding especially if it is running down your legs call the office.