Throughout your pregnancy, we will see you at regular intervals to ensure you and baby are healthy and to answer any ongoing questions.
In the first and second trimester (up until 28 weeks) we see you every 4 weeks. Between 28 and 36 weeks, we see you every 2 weeks. In your last month of pregnancy, we see you every week. Appointments can also be booked more often if needed.
Here is a typical timeline of prenatal care so you can find out what to expect at your visits:
8 weeks to 22 weeks
8 – 12 weeks
- First visit to our clinic
- Welcome and introduction about the clinic
- Order a dating ultrasound if not already done
- Discuss genetic screening options and order testing if desired
- Order any outstanding blood work
- Review nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
- Review lifestyle issues in pregnancy (e.g. nutrition, safe foods, safe medications, exercise, etc.)
2 weeks later
- Review blood work results
- Review ultrasound results and determine your due date
- Discuss health weight gain
- Physical exam including a Pap test if needed
- Review the birth plan document; address any questions or concerns
- Complete and review the ACE and resiliency questionnaires
14 weeks
- Ensure the 18-20 week anatomy scan has been arranged
18 weeks
- Review when to come into the hospital; obtain information handout on this topic
22 weeks
- Review signs and symptoms of preterm labour
26 weeks to 34 weeks
26 weeks
- Obtain a requisition for routine blood work (including gestational diabetes testing and urine testing)
- Discuss pertussis (whooping cough) and the vaccine; obtain prescription for pertussis vaccine
28 weeks
- Discuss fetal movement counting
- For Rh negative women, administer Rh immunoglobulin (WINRho)
- Refer to our local obstetricians for women desiring a repeat C-section
30 weeks
- Discuss breastfeeding and circumcision
32 weeks
- Discuss labour and delivery issues (e.g. episiotomy and assisted vaginal deliveries)
34 weeks
- Discuss group B strep (GBS) testing
- Discuss pain management in labour; obtain the epidural handout
36 weeks to 41 weeks
36 weeks
- Do the GBS swab
- Review when to come into the hospital
- Optional evening group visit and hospital tour
37 weeks
- Discuss membrane sweeping and obtain the handout
38 weeks
- Offer membrane sweeping
39 weeks
- Offer membrane sweeping
40 weeks
- Offer membrane sweeping
- Review fetal movement counting again
- Discuss induction methods
- Arrange another ultrasound and non-stress test (NST) on baby
41 weeks
- Offer membrane sweeping
- Review ultrasound and NST
- Repeat GBS swab if needed
After delivery:
After your baby is born, we will see you in the hospital daily until you go home. Afterward, we see you both for a check up in the clinic when your baby is 1 week old and again at 6 weeks postpartum. If there are additional concerns, we usually like to see you and/or your baby more often.
