Pregnancy is a wonderful time, and prenatal care can help to ensure it is also a healthy time for you and your baby. Prenatal care continues throughout the approximately 40 weeks of gestation until your new little one arrives.
Your OB/GYN will perform various tests during the prenatal period so both you and your baby are safe and sound. Let’s talk about common tests included in prenatal care, what it is, and where you can go in the greater Decatur area to have outstanding OB/GYN treatment before, during, and after your pregnancy.
What Is Involved in Prenatal Care?
During your prenatal care appointments, your obstetrician will check for any indications of health problems for both you and your baby. Medical care during pregnancy can include the following:
- An accurate, lab-analyzed pregnancy test to confirm that you really are pregnant
- A pelvic exam and Pap smear to check for cancer of the cervix and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as gonorrhea
- Routine blood tests for blood type and Rh factors
- Glucose screening tests to detect maternal diabetes
- Routine in-office checkups
In-office checkups become more frequent as you get closer to giving birth. Your obstetrician will follow your vital signs as well as your baby’s vital signs (especially its fetal heart rate). The doctor will also track your fundal(uterine) size with a simple tape measurement of your belly.
Plus, your OB/GYN doctor will counsel you on how to prepare for birth, childcare, breastfeeding, and more. Nutrition and positive lifestyle habits are critical to the health of you and your baby alike.
Specialized Testing in Prenatal Care
Some of the typical tests that your obstetrician will perform during your pregnancy include the following:
Blood Type Test for the Rh Negative Factor
If you are Rh positive (type O+, A+, B+, or AB+), this is a nonissue during pregnancy. However, if you are Rh negative (type O-, A-, B-, or AB-), then your OB/GYN will test the baby to determine its blood type.
If the baby’s blood type is Rh negative like yours, then nothing further is necessary – everything will be fine. However, if the baby is Rh-positive, then you will be tested to determine whether your blood has Rh antibodies. If your body does not have Rh antibodies, then your OB/GYN will give you a shot of Rh immune globulin, which will stop your body from producing any antibodies during your pregnancy. If you already have these antibodies in your system, then your OB/GYN will provide treatment as necessary – which may include a blood transfusion for your baby during your pregnancy.
Ultrasound
At certain intervals, your obstetrician will perform an ultrasound. This painless and radiation-free imaging exam shows the development and movement of your baby in real-time.
Plus, an ultrasound is used to check the development, health, and position of the placenta, which is the large organ in the uterus that feeds the baby and eliminates its waste. During an ultrasound, still, photos can be captured from the video images, and these are called sonograms.
Glucose Challenge Test
This test can determine whether or not you have gestational diabetes, which is due to high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels during pregnancy. You will first consume a large amount of sugary solution; one hour later, your blood glucose levels are measured.
This test is important because it detects both maternal and fetal health problems which can complicate both pregnancy and delivery. Also, gestational diabetes can indicate a susceptibility to type-2 diabetes later in life.
Exceptional Prenatal Care in Decatur, Stonecrest, and Stone Mountain, GA
We offer high-quality prenatal care here at Dekalb Women’s Specialists. Our OB/GYN physicians are Drs. Williams, Scott, Haynes, and Amua-Quarshie. We also have midwives and highly qualified nurses on our team to help ensure you have a healthy pregnancy and a happy baby.
At our state-of-the-art medical offices, you’ll receive the care you need to feel your best and to know what’s happening with that little one growing inside your body. If you are pregnant, think you are or wish to be, call us today to arrange a prenatal consultation at (404) 508-2000 or book an appointment online now. We are here to provide the care and support you need to stay healthy!
