If a home pregnancy test confirmed you are pregnant, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your provider. You may be surprised that he or she may not need to see you right away. In fact, they may want you to wait until you are six-eight weeks pregnant. This is because the pregnancy must be advanced to that number of weeks for initial tests.
The way to determine your conception date is to count forward approximately two weeks from the start of your last menstrual period. Most women ovulate two weeks after their period ends, and ovulation is when you are most fertile and most likely to become pregnant.
Preconception Appointments
Ideally, you’ve already had your preconception appointment, where we spoke with you about pregnancy nutrition, evaluated any family history of diseases, mental health concerns, gynecological and obstetric history, and potential disease exposure, as well as had the opportunity to ask us questions about how your body and life will change.
Prenatal Appointments
If you didn’t have a preconception appointment, your first prenatal or pregnancy appointment will be very informative. We will discuss all the fun and interesting milestones of pregnancy you and your baby will experience and will likely perform the following tests:
- Complete blood count to ensure no underlying conditions or infections may be present
- Urinalysis and urine culture to confirm pregnancy and check for irregularities
- Blood type and Rh factor tests, so we can confirm compatibility if a blood transfusion is required before or during delivery
The first prenatal visit is a great time to bring up all your pregnancy-related questions. If you take any medications, bring them. If you don’t know your family history of disease or familial conditions, begin asking relatives. If you’ve experienced anything unusual such as bleeding since you found out you are pregnant, let us know.
Your Baby’s Heartbeat
You may or may not be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat at your first pregnancy appointment. The heart is still developing, but the heartbeat sound may not be audible unless you are required to have a vaginal ultrasound. No need to worry! You should be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat at around 10-12 weeks.
Jackson Healthcare for Women is Mississippi’s leading provider of healthcare services for women. With 16 physicians on staff, Jackson Healthcare for Women is one of the largest and most respected women’s healthcare clinics in the area.