During your pregnancy, you will experience a variety of exams, tests, and procedures. Some of the tests are routine for all pregnant women. Others are optional or may be recommended by your doctor in certain situations or if there are complications.
You should keep all appointments with your doctor so that he or she can detect any problems as soon as possible. If any problems or potential problems are identified, your doctor can plan for your care as necessary. During each visit, your doctor will ask about any symptoms or problems you may be having, particularly:
Your doctor will look for and ask about signs and symptoms at the various stages of pregnancy. He or she will look for:
You will probably have the following routine tests and procedures:
Women with certain medical conditions have a higher risk of having problems during pregnancy and, therefore, need regular prenatal testing. Examples include women with high blood pressure , diabetes , kidney disease, heart disease , multiple pregnancies (two or more fetuses), too much or too little amniotic fluid, or post-term pregnancy.
Your doctor may order the following tests if he or she thinks they are medically necessary:
If you have high risk factors for complications, you may undergo additional tests and procedures. These may include:
RESOURCES:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org/pulications/patient_education
March of Dimes
http://www.marchofdimes.com
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada
http://sogc.medical.org/
Women's Health Matters
http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/index.cfm
References:
First-trimester screening for aneuploidy [committee opinion]. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2004 July;296.
Prenatal and preconceptional carrier screening for genetic diseases in individuals of Eastern European Jewish descent [committee opinion]. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2004;298.
Prevention of early-onset group B streptococcal disease in newborns [committee opinion]. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2002 Dec;279.
Ultrasonography in pregnancy [practice bulletin]. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2004 Dec;58.
Last reviewed January 2009 by Ganson Purcell Jr., MD, FACOG, FACPE
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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