prenatalguide

The First Office Appointment may take longer than other visits. Your medical history will be taken by a trained obstetrical nurse or by us. We need to know how healthy you are to best help you and your baby. Come early for the first exam, so you can fill out a medical history.

At the first appointment we will do some lab tests relative to pregnancy and your general health. Blood tests are especially critical since they tell us much about your medical history which could have an effect on you or your baby's well-being. Depending on special needs or individual medical problems, other testing may be done.

Follow-up visits are much shorter in duration than your initial visit. The focus of these checkups is to make certain that you have not developed any problems peculiar to your pregnancy. In addition, the growth and development of your baby is monitored. Certain blood tests and other tests (i.e. sonography), are performed at predetermined intervals throughout your pregnancy to monitor your progress.

We will set your due date, if possible, t the first appointment. It becomes a special "monitoring" progress date for you and us. Only 1 in 20 babies are delivered exactly on the calculated day, although most are born within 10 days of the expected day.

We calculate your due date by subtracting 3 months from the first day of your last menstrual period and adding 1 week or by adding 40 weeks to the first day of your last menstrual period.

A full term baby usually goes 266 days from conception to birth. You may know exactly when you conceived. If so, tell us. At your initial exam we will try to answer as many questions as possible.

As your due date gets closer, more frequent office visits are necessary. Through your sixth month, we will set up an appointment every four weeks. Then, plan to come in every two weeks during the seventh and eighth months, and every week during that last important month. These visits will take less time than your initial exam, but are just as important to make sure your pregnancy is progressing well.

There are certain family medical conditions that are important to the health of your baby. The following questionaire will help us determine if you are a candidate for special genetic counseling or testing. You should make note of any questions that you can answer "yes", and discuss these with us at your earliest appointment.

Will you be 35 or older by the due date?	Yes or No
Have you, the baby's father or anyone in your family had: Down's Syndrome or Mongolism? Spina bifida or myelomenigocoele (open spine)? Hemophilia? Muscular Dystrophy? Mental retardation? Sickle cell Disease? Tay-Sachs Disease?	Yes or No
Have you or the baby's father produced a child born with a defect not listed in question 2 or that was born dead?	Yes or No
Do you, the baby's father or close relative in either family have any inherited genetic or chromosomal disorder not listed?	Yes or No
Are you, the baby's father or a close relative: Of Jewish ancestry or a descendant from Eastern European people? Of Mediterranean ancestry? Of Thalassemia ancestry?	Yes or No
Have you or a previous spouse of the baby's father had three or more miscarriages?	Yes or No

DANGER SIGNS IN PREGNANCY

Pregnancy is a normal state for women, but sometimes complications arise that require our immediate attention. Almost all complications give some kind of warning sign, and you may be the first to notify a symptom that needs attention. We heck your blood pressure, urine, weight and fetal heartbeat at each appointment because changes in these vital signs could signal a problem. Problems that are caught early have the best chance of being treated and eliminated. Call us immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:

Bleeding from breast nipples, rectum, bladder or coughing up blood.
Vaginal bleeding, no matter how slight (unless small amount after pelvic exam)
Swelling of hands or face
Dimness or blurring of vision
Severe or continuous headaches
Abdominal pains that do not go away with heat and rest or a bowel movement
Chills or fever over 100°
Persistent vomiting
Painful or burning urination
Absence of fetal movement for a 24-hour period late in pregnancy
Sudden or slow escape of fluid from the vagina

These symptoms may indicate serious complications of pregnancy that need immediate attention.

Month One
During your first month of pregnancy, your baby reaches a half inch in length and is called an embryo. Amazingly, the circulatory system and other vital organs have begun to form, including the heart, brain, lungs, eyes and ears. The placenta and umbilical cord are developing, and the baby is well protected from harm in a sac of liquid called amniotic fluid.

Month Two
By eight weeks, arms and legs are staring to form, and the embryo is beginning to look more human. Fingers and toes are growing and facial features are becoming more pronounced. The head seems huge compared to the body because the brain is growing at a very rapid pace. By the end of eight weeks, the embryo is about one inch long.

Month Three
By three months, the baby is called a fetus. It is starting to grow faster and is now four inches long. Fingernails and toenails are growing and, for some, a little hair may sprout. If you could see inside the uterus, you could determine the sex. At this time, we may be able to detect the baby's heartbeat with a special stethoscope.

Month Four
During the fourth month, many women begin to "look" pregnant. After all, the fast growing fetus is now more than six inches long. The baby's teeth, eyelids and eyelashes and extremities are developing in detail.

Month Five
You may feel the baby move for the first time. A word about this: if you feel that little flutter of life one day and not again for several days, DO NOT BE ALARMED. Because your baby is suspended in a sea of amniotic fluid, you may not be able to feel its every move. And then, the fetus may get very active for a day or two, then settle down for a few days. It needs rest, too! It has now grown to 10 inches in length.

Month Six
By this time, the fetus resembles a miniature infant except for its reddish, wrinkled skin. It measures about 12 inches in length and starts to move with increased frequency.

Month Seven
From seven to nine months, you'll gain the most weight and your baby is growing incredibly fast - up to 14 inches long by now. With special care, babies born now can survive.

Month Eight
At this stage, the fetus is about 17 inches long and weighs around 4 pounds. The baby's bones and nails are hardening and wrinkles disappear as fat begins depositing under the skin. Babies born during this month are still premature but have a very good chance of survival.

Month Nine
The baby's size and activity level during the last month may cause the mother considerable discomfort. You may have difficulty sleeping and need to urinate more frequently than before because the baby is putting more pressure on your bladder. At full term, the average baby weighs seven and one-half pounds and measures 20 inches in length