What to Expect at Your First Prenatal Appointment

Congratulations on your positive pregnancy test! After a well-deserved celebration with your loved ones, it’ll be time to schedule your first prenatal appointment and get some professional input.

No matter your age, seeing a doctor can be anxiety-provoking, especially if you don’t know what’s coming.

If you’re a first-time mom, read on to learn what will happen in your first prenatal visit. Even if you’re a seasoned mom, feel free to keep reading; after all, it doesn’t hurt to have a refresher!

You should schedule your first prenatal appointment as soon as you get a positive result on a home pregnancy test. 1 2

Once you confirm your pregnancy, don’t delay calling for an appointment, which they will likely schedule when you’re around 8 to 10 weeks pregnant, based on your last menstrual period. Early prenatal care is important for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Who should you schedule your appointment with?

You don’t necessarily need to book an appointment with a medical doctor, although most expecting moms do. Your options include:

• Family practice doctor
• Obstetrician
• Certified nurse-midwife (CNM)
• Certified professional midwife (CPM)

When picking, it’s a good idea to ask your primary care doctor, friends, and family for recommendations.

The most important thing is choosing someone who’s right for you. If you don’t feel comfortable with your choice, don’t be afraid to switch providers.

You’ll usually have your first prenatal appointment when you’re around 8 weeks pregnant. That’s usually when you can detect your baby’s heartbeat on an ultrasound. 1 3

Your doctor may suggest an earlier appointment if you have health-related issues that could put your pregnancy at risk, such as a history of pregnancy complications or symptoms like:

• Spotting or bleeding
• Stomach pain
• Severe morning sickness (vomiting or nausea)

In preparation for your visit and your pregnancy in general, once you have a positive test, get started on your prenatal care right away. Take a daily prenatal vitamin, maintain a healthy pregnancy diet, and make sure you’re aware of which foods and drinks you should avoid during pregnancy (e.g., alcohol and raw fish). 4

Your doctor will give you a comprehensive assessment of your health and your baby’s development during your first prenatal visit. While the specifics may vary, you can generally expect:

Pregnancy confirmation and dating

Even if you’ve had a positive home pregnancy test, your doctor will probably perform another urine test to confirm your pregnancy and measure your levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a hormone your body produces during pregnancy. 5

In addition, your doctor may also take blood tests to: 3 6

• Check your blood type and Rh factor (a type of protein on red blood cells)
• Ensure you don’t have infections like STDs (HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia)
• Do a blood count to test for anemia
• Determine if you’re immune to rubella and chicken pox

They may also take a urine culture to test for infection.

How your doctor will estimate your due date

Your doctor will use the date of your last menstrual period (LMP) to calculate your due date, assuming you have periods every month.

If you don’t remember the date of your LMP or you have irregular periods where you skip months, your doctor may also determine your estimated due date with an ultrasound. 3

Note that there are two types of ultrasounds: abdominal and transvaginal ultrasounds. The latter is more commonly used in early pregnancy. 7

If you got pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF), your doctor won’t use the date of your LMP. To calculate your IVF due date, they’ll use your transfer date (when the eggs were inserted into your uterus).

Examinations

Here are the two main exams your doctor will perform at your first prenatal appointment: 2 3

• Physical exam: This includes checking your heart, lungs, breasts, and abdomen, as well as measuring your blood pressure, height, and weight.
• Pelvic exam: This exam assesses your genitals, uterus, ovaries, and cervical health. It might also include a Pap smear and cultures to look for infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Health history review

During this appointment, your doctor will want to know if you’re currently on any medications and learn about your:

• Medical history: They’ll thoroughly review your immunization records, previous illnesses or surgeries, and allergies (including drug allergies).
• Mental health history: Let your doctor know if you have a history of anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions.
• Gynecological history: They may go over when you got your first period, your cycle regularity and length, your usual PMS or PMDD symptoms, prior gynecological surgeries, and history of abnormal Pap smears or STDs.
• Obstetric history: It’s important for your doctor to know if you’ve had any miscarriages or complications in previous pregnancies to assess potential risks for your current pregnancy.
• Family medical history: If you have a family history of certain genetic disorders (e.g., Down syndrome or cystic fibrosis), your doctor may schedule you for a genetic screening and potentially refer you to a genetic counselor for more information and guidance. 3
• Potential disease exposure: Your doctor may also ask if you’ve been in situations that may have exposed you to contagious diseases (e.g., you work in a hospital or recently traveled abroad).

Lifestyle discussion

Lastly, your doctor will take this chance to discuss your lifestyle choices with you in detail. This includes your diet, exercise frequency, relationships, and health habits (e.g., if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs).

Be honest with your doctor so they can give you the best possible advice. 2 Remember that they’re there to help you, not to judge you.

Your first prenatal visit will often be the longest; your doctor likely has a lot of information to share, and you probably have a million questions of your own.

However, there’s still a time limit on your appointment, so prepare ahead of time by:

• Gathering the necessary information: For starters, collect all your health history and create a list of all the medications, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you’re currently taking, including their dosages. You can bring the actual medications in a bag if it helps. Moreover, don’t forget to bring your insurance card and any required proof of identification.
• Writing a list of questions to ask: It can be easy to forget to ask pressing questions if you feel overwhelmed, which happens to many first-time moms during their first prenatal visits. To avoid this problem, create another list of your questions and concerns in your journal or pregnancy tracker (lists are your best friend here).
• Asking someone to join you: Consider bringing someone you trust to support you and help you take notes.

Arrive early to complete any necessary paperwork and review your insurance information.

Before you leave, you should also schedule your next appointment. You’ll usually see your provider every four weeks until you’re 28 weeks pregnant, after which the intervals will be shorter. 6 Ask if future appointments will be in-person or virtual, as some practices may offer virtual options for low-risk patients.

What questions should you ask during your first prenatal appointment?

As mentioned, it’s a good idea to create a list of questions to ask your doctor. To give you a leg up, here are some of the most common questions you can ask during your prenatal appointment:

Questions to ask about your health

You can use these health-related questions to make sure you look after yourself during pregnancy and know when it’s time to speak to your doctor:

• What are some common pregnancy symptoms and red flags?
• What symptoms warrant an urgent call to the office?
• What vaccinations should I get throughout my pregnancy?
• Which prenatal supplements should I take?
• Are there any medications I should avoid taking?
• How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?

Questions to ask about your lifestyle during pregnancy

Pregnancy brings plenty of changes to your everyday life, so learn what adjustments you’ll need to make by asking:

• What foods should I avoid?
• How should I exercise while I’m pregnant and what are the best pregnancy workouts?
• How can I safely have sex during pregnancy?
• Do you have any workplace safety and travel tips?

Other questions you can ask your doctor

You can also ask your doctor:

• Where can I get resources for evidence-based pregnancy information?
• When will I find out my baby’s sex?
• Will you be providing care throughout my entire pregnancy?
• How many ultrasounds will I have?
• Do you have any prenatal class recommendations?

Do your own research and ask questions specific to your condition if you have a high-risk pregnancy (e.g., you’re over 35, have preexisting conditions, or have a history of pregnancy complications). 9

Your first prenatal visit is very important, but there’s no need to stress about it. You’re there to learn about your pregnancy, not take an exam!

There aren’t any stupid questions, so if you have any concerns whatsoever, bring them up with your doctor.