Prenatal Care Visits

Your health care provider will give you a schedule for your prenatal visits. You will have visits more often as you get closer to the end of your pregnancy. An average pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. A typical schedule includes visiting your health care provider:

• about once each month during your first six months of pregnancy, then

• every two weeks during the next two months, and then

• weekly until the delivery date.

If you are over 35 or your pregnancy is high risk because you have certain health problems (like diabetes or high blood pressure), your health care provider will probably want to see you more often.

At your first prenatal visit, your health care provider will talk to you about your health history and your family health history and do a physical exam. The physical exam will include checks of your blood pressure, height and weight, and an exam of your pelvic organs. There will be tests of your blood and urine. Your health care provider will be able to tell you when to expect that your baby will be born. This visit is also a chance for you to learn about staying healthy during pregnancy.

At your later prenatal visits, your health care provider will check how you are doing and how the baby is developing. You may have a number of tests done as your pregnancy progresses. Ultrasound exams are often used to check on the baby's growth and health. You may have more urine and blood tests as well as special tests if needed.