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What happens on my first prenatal visit and what do I need to take with me? |
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by monyq83 (February 2008) (rank 9th) |
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I wrote this advice on another site and thought it might be useful here.
Firstly, congrats with your pregnancy :D
At your first visit, Im not sure where you're from but if you're in Australia, you will need your medicare card and if you have one, your concession card.
They will
ask you lots and lots of questions, alot of them quite personal, regarding sexual health and whether you take drugs or alcohol or you smoke. Also they will ask about whether you have any mental health issues, and if any sort of illness runs in your family. Its a good idea to have a chat to your mum and check with her before the visit if anything runs in your bloodline.
Then they will weigh you and possibly measure your height, run a series of blood tests, and you will get to hear your baby's heartbeat for the first time. (How exciting!!)
Depending on how busy the sonographer is, you may or may not have an ultrasound, but if you miss out, its only another few weeks before you have your 20wk ultrasound anyway.
The first prenatal appointment can take anywhere from 45mins to an hour and a half, so make sure you allow plenty of time and eat before your appointment so you dont get hungry while you're in there.
If you are in Aus, they will give you a Bounty Bag, which is full of lots of useful information and free samples for your pregnancy.