The visit schedule gets tighter as you get closer

Prenatal care is the health care you get while pregnant — checkups and
prenatal testing, usually from an obstetrician or a midwife.

Its purpose is stated plainly: it **lets your provider spot health problems
early**, and **early treatment can cure many problems and prevent others from
developing**.

The schedule

The acceleration is the point. Problems that develop in late pregnancy —
blood pressure, growth, position — can change over days rather than weeks, so
the interval between visits shortens to match.

**If you are over 35, or the pregnancy is high risk because of conditions such
as diabetes or high blood pressure, your provider will probably want to see
you more often** than that.

The first visit, and the rest

The first visit takes longer, and covers:

• Your health history, including prior pregnancies, and your family's
  health history
• Health conditions and risk factors that could affect you or the fetus
• A complete physical exam, including a pelvic exam and Pap test
• Blood, urine and other routine prenatal lab tests
• Blood pressure, height and weight
• A discussion of **healthy weight gain, healthy eating and prenatal
  vitamins**
• Working out your due date — 40 weeks

Most later visits check blood pressure and weight gain, **measure your
abdomen** to track fetal growth once you begin to show, **check the fetal
heart rate**, check hands and feet for swelling, and run routine tests.
Additional tests come at particular stages.

Two standing instructions

Always talk to your provider before starting or stopping any medicine —
some can harm a fetus, and stopping something can be as risky as starting it.

Avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs.

And use the visits: every appointment is a chance to ask questions about a
healthy pregnancy and preparing for delivery. Ask about **childbirth education
classes** for you and your partner.

*Source: Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health, via
MedlinePlus.*