Prenatal care follows a predictable schedule. The visits are designed to catch concerns early, but most of the time they are a chance for you and your obstetrician to plan the next few weeks together.
First trimester (weeks 1 to 13)
Visits happen about every four to six weeks. The first visit is the longest. Expect:
- A review of your medical history, medications, and family history.
- A blood panel to check blood type, iron, and certain infections.
- An early ultrasound to confirm the due date.
- A discussion of prenatal vitamins, exercise, and what to avoid.
The first-trimester screening for chromosomal conditions is offered between weeks 10 and 13.
Second trimester (weeks 14 to 27)
Visits continue every four weeks. The anatomy scan, a detailed ultrasound around week 20, checks how the baby is growing and where the placenta sits. A glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes is scheduled between weeks 24 and 28.
Third trimester (weeks 28 to 40)
Visits move to every two weeks, then weekly from week 36. Your obstetrician checks the baby’s position, your blood pressure, and any swelling. Group B strep screening happens around week 36.
Questions worth asking at every visit
- Is there anything in my symptoms this week that you want to follow up on?
- What should I do if I notice [specific symptom] at home?
- What is the plan if labor starts before the next visit?
- Are there results from the last test I should know about?
What to bring
Your medication list, including prenatal vitamins and any supplements. A short note about symptoms you have noticed since the last visit. And, in the later weeks, your birth preferences document if you have written one.
When to call between visits
Heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, a sudden decrease in fetal movement, or a severe headache with vision changes are reasons to call the clinic or the on-call line right away. The clinic’s 24-hour nurse line is for the questions in between.
This article is general information. Your obstetrician will adjust the schedule to your specific pregnancy.