How to Prepare for Your First Pregnancy Ultrasound
Ultrasounds provide a safe and effective way of viewing your growing baby. Read on to learn more about why they are done and what you can expect at the appointment.
When you're expecting a baby, there are many decisions to be made, from names to nursery colors. Fortunately, physicians and midwives can help create an ideal prenatal schedule for your situation, leaving you one less thing to worry about.
Dr. Thomas Hatchett, our midwife nurse practitioner Britteny Barron, and our highly qualified staff at Habersham OBGYN provide a wide range of integrative health care services for women from their teen years to menopause and more. In addition to preventive care and the treatment of reproductive system issues, we offer personalized, state-of-the-art services for expectant mothers.
Getting proper care throughout your pregnancy improves the odds of having a safe delivery and healthy baby. This is because medical professionals are able to monitor the pregnancy, identify any possible problems, and advise on healthy habits.
Prenatal appointments are an important time to make sure the mom-to-be is gaining the right amount of weight and that the baby is growing properly. The healthcare team also watches out for complications like preeclampsia, diabetes, anemia, and more. Diet and exercise advice as well as nutritional counseling are provided and discussions about your labor and delivery plan are held.
The prenatal appointment schedule is determined by the health of mother and baby. Typically, moms-to-be have a healthcare visit every four to six weeks through week 32 of their pregnancy. The interval shrinks to every two to three weeks from weeks 32 to 37 and from week 37 until delivery the medical team will see women every week.
Anyone who has a high-risk pregnancy, including those older than 35 or people with gestational diabetes or other health conditions, will likely have more frequent appointments.
In addition to regularly planned visits, tests will be scheduled at certain times to ensure the baby is developing normally. These may include the following:
Ultrasounds can be used to make sure the baby is growing properly as well as to determine a due date.
Glucose tests are used to detect gestational diabetes.
Blood tests can be used for a number of reasons including checking for anemia, normal fetal DNA in the mom-to-be's blood, blood type testing, and more.
A fetal echocardiography can evaluate the baby's heart, an amniocentesis can look for genetic issues or birth defects, and a nuchal translucency test can assess the risk of Down's syndrome and other genetic conditions.
Getting proper care for yourself and your baby is one of the most important steps you can take for a healthy outcome. If you're pregnant and thinking about using a midwife or are looking for an obstetrician, book online or call our office at 706-229-4718 today to make an appointment.
