Prenatal Care

Frequently Asked Questions Expand All

• What is prenatal care?

  Prenatal care is health care for you during pregnancy. It is one of the most common types of doctor visits in the United States. Prenatal care may include medical care, screening tests, answers to your questions, and help finding social support and community resources.

  
  
• How often are visits scheduled in prenatal care?

  The standard schedule for prenatal care was the same for many years. It included office visits once a month until the seventh month and increasing visits from the eighth month to delivery. Other appointments might have been needed as well.

  The COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of changes in prenatal care. Obstetrician–gynecologists (ob-gyns) began thinking about visits that could be done using telehealth. This thinking has led to a new approach called “tailored prenatal care."

  
  
• What is tailored prenatal care?

  Ob-gyns use the term “tailored prenatal care” to describe a plan that’s geared specifically to you. Depending on your risk of pregnancy complications, your prenatal care might include telehealth visits for general counseling and in-person visits for specific testing.

  Your ob-gyn might also recommend group prenatal care, which offers the chance to learn more about pregnancy in a group of other pregnant women. You and your ob-gyn should talk about your health and information needs and the best approach for your care.

• Where do I get prenatal care?

  There are different types of doctors and midwives who are licensed to provide prenatal care. Many of these doctors and midwives can work with you to decide how often you need to visit and when routine tests will be done.

  • Obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) are doctors who specialize in women’s health care. Most people get their prenatal care from an ob-gyn.

  • Maternal–fetal medicine (MFM) specialists are ob-gyns who specialize in high-risk pregnancies.

  • Family medicine doctors (also called family practice doctors) offer prenatal care for average-risk pregnancies. If you develop complications, you may need to see an ob-gyn or MFM specialist instead.

  • Midwives offer care for average-risk pregnancies. They take care of patients from early pregnancy through labor, delivery, and the postpartum period. They may also work with average-risk pregnancies in collaboration with ob-gyns as part of a care team.

  If you already see a primary family medicine doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, you can ask if they offer prenatal care. They may be able to provide care for average-risk pregnancies. You should ask whether they can also help deliver your baby. If they can’t, plan to see an ob-gyn or other professional who manages labor and delivery.

  
  
• What are the benefits of prenatal care?

  Getting early and regular prenatal care may increase your chances of having a healthy baby. Regular prenatal care can help your ob-gyn find problems sooner and take steps to help manage them. When you have prenatal care visits, your health and the health of your fetus are monitored.

  If you have a preexisting medical condition or if a medical condition develops during pregnancy, you may need to see your ob-gyn more often. You may also need extra visits if you are age 35 or older. Extra tests near the end of pregnancy can help ensure that your fetus is still healthy.

  
  
• What can I expect at my first prenatal care visit?

  You and your ob-gyn should talk about your personal and family health history. Plan to bring detailed information to your first prenatal care appointment, including

  • the first day of your last menstrual period (to help establish your due date)

  • a list of all medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking

  • information about any health conditions you have, past surgeries, and your vaccination records

  • information on past pregnancies, including any that ended with miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion

  • any past experience with preterm delivery, preeclampsia, or gestational diabetes

  If you already have a relationship with your ob-gyn, some of this information may be in their records. Be sure everything is up to date.

  Giving honest answers to all these questions is key to your care. If you are concerned about confidentiality, you and your ob-gyn should talk about it before you answer any questions.

  Your ob-gyn may also ask about your support network, ability to buy healthy food, and ability to get to appointments. Having support, healthy food, and reliable transportation can all affect how healthy you can be during pregnancy. If you need help with these things, let your ob-gyn know.

• What happens at an in-person prenatal care visit?

  What happens during an in-person visit will depend on how far along you are in your pregnancy, your health, and your fetus’s health.

  Prenatal care visits usually include routine measurements, such as blood pressure, weight, fundal height, and fetal heart tones. You may have ultrasound exams or blood tests. You will also need a physical exam, which may include a pelvic exam and breast exam, during one or more visits.

  This is also a good time for you to ask questions about things like genetic screening tests.

  
  
• Can I have a virtual prenatal care visit using telehealth?

  Some ob-gyns and other obstetric care professionals may offer telehealth visits when in-person services (like physical exams or laboratory tests) are not needed. If your ob-gyn offers telehealth, talk about which visits can be virtual and which need to be in person.

  
  
• How often should I expect to go into the office for prenatal checks?

  It’s best to start prenatal care in the first trimester. Before 10 weeks after your last period is ideal, but it could be earlier or later depending on when you find out you are pregnant, how quickly you can find an ob-gyn in your area, and other factors.

  As your pregnancy progresses, you and your ob-gyn can adjust your visit schedule based on your preferences and health needs.

  
  
• How does my risk of complications affect my in-person visits?

  You and your ob-gyn can discuss how often you should visit in person. For average-risk pregnancies, you may need only periodic in-person visits as long as no complications develop.

  For pregnancies at higher than average risk, you may need to have prenatal care more often. You and your ob-gyn should agree on what is appropriate for your prenatal care. You may also be referred to an MFM specialist who can manage pregnancy complications.

• Glossary

  Complications: Diseases or conditions that happen as a result of another disease or condition. An example is pneumonia that develops with the flu. An example of a pregnancy complication is preterm labor.

  Fetus: The stage of human development beyond 8 completed weeks after fertilization. 

  Fundal Height: The distance from the pubic bone to the top of the uterus. When measured throughout pregnancy, the fundal height helps determine the size and growth rate of the fetus.

  Maternal–Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialists: Obstetrician–gynecologists with extra training in high-risk pregnancies. Also called perinatologists.

  Menstrual Period: The monthly shedding of blood and tissue from the uterus. Also called menstruation.

  Obstetric Care Professionals: Health care professionals who specialize in pregnancy, labor, and delivery. These professionals include obstetrician–gynecologists (ob-gyns), certified nurse–midwives (CNMs), maternal–fetal medicine specialists (MFMs), and family medicine doctors with experience in maternal care.

  Obstetrician–Gynecologists (Ob-Gyns): Doctors with medical and surgical training and education in the female reproductive system. 

  Pelvic Exam: A physical examination of the pelvic organs, including the vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries.

  Postpartum: Related to the weeks following the birth of a child. 

  Prenatal Care: Health care during pregnancy.

  Screening Tests: Tests that look for possible signs of disease in people who do not have symptoms. If signs of disease are found, more testing may be needed.

  Trimester: A time period of 3 months. There are three trimesters in pregnancy: the first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.

  Ultrasound Exams: Tests that use sound waves to examine inner parts of the body. During pregnancy, ultrasound can be used to check the fetus. Also called ultrasonography or sonography.