Prenatal Visits in Bethesda, MD
At Capital Women's Care (Bethesda), our providers are dedicated to partnering with parents to be there every step of the way during their pregnancy process. This can include help with fertility struggles, high-risk pregnancy care, or education on breastfeeding and other common needs of a newborn.
Regular prenatal visits with an obstetrician are important to monitor the health of both mother and baby. The frequency of prenatal visits depends on how far along a woman is in her pregnancy, and any known health concerns that may require additional checkups with your doctor.
When To Begin Prenatal Visits
A patient’s first prenatal visit should be scheduled as soon as she thinks she may be pregnant. As the pregnancy progresses, prenatal appointments will occur more regularly and may include testing to check the health of the baby or address any significant symptoms the mother may experience.
A typical schedule for prenatal checkups is:
- Between Weeks 4-28 patients will have an appointment once a month.
- Between Weeks 28-36 patients will start having appointments twice a month.
- After week 36 patients will have weekly appointments.
If a pregnancy is regarded as being high-risk, which is often based on various factors like the patient’s age, weight, and known health conditions, your doctor may recommend more frequent prenatal visits to closely monitor the pregnancy. This ensures that any potential complications are detected as soon as possible, and therefore may be appropriately treated much more quickly.
What to Expect During a Prenatal Visit
A prenatal checkup at Capital Women's Care (Bethesda) typically includes several standard processes and tests to obtain insights about the mother’s health and that of the developing fetus. During this time, your doctor may:
- Obtain a urine sample
- Review the patient’s medical history
- Check blood pressure, weight, and height
- Discuss the patient’s stress levels and lifestyle habits
- Perform blood tests
- Check the fetal heart rate
- Feel and measure the patient’s abdomen
- Complete a fetal ultrasound
- Answer any questions or concerns the patient has
Other tests may be done as a way to proactively identify any early signs of health problems affecting the mother and/or child that can include infection, birth defects, gestational diabetes, or fetal distress.
Schedule a Prenatal Visit in Bethesda Today
Contact Capital Women's Care (Bethesda) to schedule your first prenatal appointment and start your pregnancy journey with our team of experienced obstetricians and gynecologists by calling (301) 897-9817 today!
