Maternity Care

During prenatal visits, you will meet with an OBGYN or nurse who will perform a physical exam and check your and your baby’s health.

In addition to a physical, your first maternity appointment may include:

• A review of your personal and family medical history
• Discussions about lifestyle habits, such as your diet and exercise routine, stress levels, whether you smoke, and whether you drink alcohol
• Prenatal tests, such as blood and urine tests to check for certain diseases and infections
• Ultrasounds

After that first visit, your maternity checkups typically focus on your health and your baby’s growth and development. Your OBGYN may also discuss genetic testing based on age, family history and other factors.

You will receive a schedule of appointments for the remainder of your pregnancy. Although timelines vary, these visits generally occur:

• Once every four weeks until week 28 of your pregnancy
• Once every two weeks from weeks 28 to 36
• Once a week from week 36 until you have your baby

Visits generally increase in frequency as your due date gets closer so your OBGYN can monitor you more closely. Everyone on your care team wants you to have a healthy birth, and these visits help ensure that.

During your prenatal visits, your OBGYN can help you develop a birth plan and discuss options for your delivery.

A birth plan lists your preferences for what happens when you’re delivering your baby. Not all people want to create a birth plan, and whether you create one or not is your choice. If you do not, you can still learn about the choices available to you on the day.

Your OBGYN can discuss considerations, such as whether you want:

• A natural birth with as few interventions as possible
• Anesthesia or pain medications
• Delivery aids, such as a birthing ball or stool
• The ability to walk around during labor