A lot of my friends are pregnant and ask me about what they are supposed to do next or what is going to happen at their next doctors appointment. Although I am sure not all experiences are the same as mine, I wanted to share what I did so you have a general idea of what to expect!
You just received a positive result on a stick! Congratulations! Time to call your doctor. Chances are, you are around 4 weeks pregnant at this point so don't be alarmed if they do not schedule your appointment until about 8 weeks for confirmation of pregnancy. They just want to make sure there is a heartbeat instead of having you come back twice. Definitely bring your Hubby/BF to this appointment!
10 Weeks: Is usually when they like to schedule you to come in again. At this appointment, they will give you lab orders to get blood work done, do a quick exam, let you know of any risks, and discuss your family history. Your blood work is called First Trimester Screening. You will then be referred to make an appointment at 12 weeks for Nuchal Translucency Screening (N.T) to go along with your blood work. After your 10 week appointment, you will generally make appointments with you OB for every 4 weeks. They will check your urine for infections, chart your weight, use the doppler to check the Baby's heart rate, your blood pressure, and cover any questions you may have. In second trimester, they will also measure fundal height.
12 Weeks: This can be done from 11-14 weeks of pregnancy. This appointment will be an ultrasound where you will see a great shot of your Baby's profile. Fetuses with increased fluid at the base of their necks could have an extra chromosome. This fluid can be measured with ultrasound when the base of the neck is still transparent. The test mainly screens for Down Syndrome but an NT also screens for congenital heart defects and other genetic disorders. The results of this screening along with the First Trimester Screening blood work you had done at 10 weeks will tell you how high of a risk your baby is for chromosomal disorders. Some people can opt out of this appointment all together and get blood work done instead which also tells you the gender of the baby! My doctors don't find this test as accurate as the N.T thus I have not had it done.
20 Weeks: Level 2 Ultrasound Anatomy Scan is where the baby will be measured and the four chambers of the heart will be viewed, kidneys, bladder, stomach, brain, spine and sex organs. A survey of the organs, including the umbilical cord, ensures that they are developing normally (or identifies any potential problems as soon as possible). The sonographer will also be looking at your amniotic fluid levels, the location of the placenta, and the fetal heart rate.When a woman has both first and second trimester screening tests performed, the ability of the tests to detect an abnormality is greater than using just one screening independently. Most cases of Down syndrome can be detected when both first and second trimester screening are used. At this appointment you can also find out or confirm gender so this is also a great one to bring the daddy to! You will also get great pictures to share with friends and family as well!
24 Weeks : Glucose Screening test can be done from 24-28 weeks. First, you'll drink a glucose pure sugar drink. Then you'll wait for one hour before having some blood drawn and tested for glucose; you don't have to be fasting when you do this. Elevated levels of glucose in your blood work suggests the possibility that you might not be producing enough insulin to process the extra glucose in your system. But that doesn't necessarily mean you necessarily have gestational diabetes; it just means you need a glucose tolerance test. For that diagnostic test, you'll be asked to fast overnight. Your blood will be drawn in the morning, and then you'll drink a higher-concentration glucose mixture. Your blood will be drawn three more times, at one, two, and three hours later. I actually failed the first one but luckily passed the 3 hour test. I will not lie, it was torture and I almost fainted from having the drink on an empty stomach. If a glucose tolerance test diagnoses gestational diabetes, you'll probably be referred to a nutritionist and given a special diet.You'll also need to monitor your glucose levels at home several times a day with a special machine that uses a drop of blood from your finger to give you an immediate reading, and you may require medication. This helps keep you and your baby safe and ensures a safe pregnancy.
From here on, you will continue your appointment every four weeks like I mentioned above and your last 4 weeks will be weekly. At 35-37 weeks, you will have a test called Group B Strep Test. GBS is a type of common bacteria normally found in the vaginas of many women. They will take swabs and send it to the lab. It is harmless to the women who have it, but during birth it can be transmitted to the baby, causing a serious infection. If you test positive, you'll be given IV antibiotics during labor and this completely eliminates any risk to your baby.
Good luck and enjoy your pregnancy (if you can!)
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