Prenatal Care Specialist

What is prenatal care?

Prenatal care is the medical care and monitoring you receive during your pregnancy. Your body undergoes many changes during those nine months of gestation, and early, ongoing prenatal care keeps you and your baby healthy.

With your regularly scheduled prenatal care visits, your doctor can find problems before they cause complications. Early diagnosis and treatment may cure the condition and prevent additional pregnancy problems.

When should I start prenatal care?

You should contact Frisco Obstetrics and Gynecology, PA, to schedule your first prenatal appointment as soon as you know you’re pregnant. 

The women’s health experts may not schedule your first prenatal exam, however, until it’s been eight weeks since the start of your last menstrual cycle.

The frequency of your prenatal appointments depends on your weeks of gestation and whether your pregnancy is normal or high-risk.

In general, you can expect to see your doctor at Frisco Obstetrics and Gynecology, PA, once a month up until week 28, then twice a month up until week 36, then weekly until you give birth.

What can I expect during prenatal care?

You can expect comprehensive and compassionate prenatal care from the all-female team of providers at Frisco Obstetrics and Gynecology, PA. The specifics of your appointments depend on your personal needs and wishes.

During your first prenatal care appointment, the team conducts a thorough evaluation that includes:

• Testing to confirm pregnancy
• Review of your personal medical and gynecological history
• Review of your family history
• Full physical and pelvic exam
• Lab tests to check for sexually transmitted disease
• Pap smear
• Calculation of your due date
  
  

At each follow-up prenatal care appointment, the team checks your weight, blood pressure, and your baby’s heart rate. 

What is prenatal nutrition?

The women’s health expert at Frisco Obstetrics and Gynecology, PA, considers prenatal nutrition an essential component of your prenatal care. 

Eating a healthy, balanced diet during your pregnancy not only keeps you and your baby healthy but may prevent excessive weight gain and pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. 

The team spends time talking to you about your diet during your appointments and provides recommendations for the types of foods you should eat to maximize nutrient intake. 

They also talk to you about the foods you need to avoid — undercooked seafood and unpasteurized milk — that pose a danger to your growing baby.

What types of prenatal care tests do I need?

The experienced obstetrics team at Frisco Obstetrics and Gynecology, PA performs many prenatal tests throughout your pregnancy to monitor you and your baby’s health. 

Standard prenatal care tests include:

• Cell-free DNA tests
• Chorionic villus sampling
• Sonography
• Alpha-fetoprotein test
• Nuchal translucency test
• Glucose screening
• Amniocentesis
• Group B Streptococcus infection screening
  
  

Your provider discusses the prenatal testing and the types of tests you need. 

For compassionate patient-focused prenatal care, call Frisco Obstetrics and Gynecology, PA, or schedule an appointment online today.