YOUR PREGNANCY TIMELINE

Thank you for choosing the physicians at Mintview to guide you through your pregnancy. The first few visits can be a little overwhelming, so we provide this handy timeline to give you a general idea of what your visits during the next few months should cover.  This is only a guide. Not everyone will fit this plan exactly. 

If you need to be seen between these routine visits, then let our staff know. We will be happy to accommodate your needs. 

First of all, we count the weeks of a pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period, although you probably did not conceive until two weeks after that. It sounds strange, but that's just the way things are done.  Most pregnancies last between 38 and 42 weeks. Your due date is an estimated date of delivery, but don't count on it happening exactly on that day. We also schedule due dates based on the results of ultrasounds.  You can use the small chart below to help keep track of your due date and the method at which we arrived at that date.

Last Menstrual Period (LMP)		_______________________
Due date based on LMP		_______________________
Due date based on ultrasound		_______________________
Final due date		_______________________

We encourage you to ask questions during your visits. You may want to bring a list of questions to your visits so you remember to ask them all. If you have questions between visits, our nursing staff can usually answer them for you during office hours. If you have an urgent question or a true emergency outside of office hours, a physician is available 24 hours a day by calling 704-377-5675. Questions about safe over-the-counter medications for use during pregnancy also can be asked of your pharmacist.

Visit #1 - We will confirm whether or not you are pregnant during this visit with your primary OB doctor.  If your primary doctor is Dr. Lewis or Dr. Porter, then you will be asked to select a primary OB physician.  We do this so that each patient will have one doctor to whom they will look for any difficult or confusing questions.  This also helps to maintain continuity between you and your OB/GYN.  We understand that any patient may want to change primary ob doctors once she has met all five.  We encourage you to pick the doctor with whom you are most comfortable.  If you would like to make a change, let one of the staff know so we can change the paperwork and serve you better. 

During this initial visit, your doctor will perform a urine pregnancy test and conduct a full exam.  The physician also will provide counseling and answer any questions you have. If you will be 35 years old or older at delivery, the doctor will discuss genetic testing, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. This is necessary due to an increased risk of birth defects and genetic problems in the baby as the mother ages.

Visit #2 - You will be approximately eight (8) weeks pregnant. We will use an ultrasound to document your baby's heartbeat and confirm your due date. During this visit, you will see the ultrasound technician. After the ultrasound, you will be sent to the office lab for some routine blood tests.

Visit #3 - You will be approximately twelve (12) weeks pregnant. We call this your first OB visit, even though it will be the third related to your pregnancy.  Again, it's another of those little peculiarities in medicine. During this visit, you should be able to hear your baby's heartbeat. We will also update your medical history, provide information regarding the hospital you plan to use for delivery, give information about prenatal classes, discuss any specific risk factors for your pregnancy and discuss the results from your lab work.

Visit #4 - You should be sixteen (16) weeks pregnant. During this visit, your doctor will discuss a blood test called a maternal serum screening test (AFP tetra).  This test provides information about your risk of having a baby with certain birth defects, such as Down syndrome or spina bifida.  If this test returns abnormal, your doctor will recommend additional testing to determine the possible problem.

Visit #5 - You should be eighteen (18) weeks along. At this visit you will have another ultrasound of your baby. This ultrasound is used to make sure there are no major problems with your baby's anatomy. If you would like to know the sex of your baby, we can usually tell you at this visit.  During this visit, you will not be scheduled to see a doctor; however, you may do so if you are having any problems.

Visit #6 and Visit #7 - You should be at twenty (20) weeks and twenty-four (24) weeks, respectively. These are brief visits during which we will measure your blood pressure, weight, and abdominal growth.  Additionally, we will listen for your baby's heart rate and check your urine. 

At 20 weeks, we strongly encourage you to begin rotating your appointments between the five doctors who deliver babies. There is no guarantee that your primary OB doctor will be the person to deliver your child. You should be as comfortable as possible with all of the doctors who could be in charge of the delivery. If you don't get to spend much time with a certain doctor, please reschedule so you can get to know him or her.

It is possible that the doctor with whom you have an appointment is out of the office at a delivery. If this happens, you may choose to see only a nurse.  If you have questions or concerns that you feel need a doctor to address, you may be seen by another OB doctor who is available. You also have the option of waiting for the on-call doctor to return to the office. If your concern can be handled over the phone, the OB doctor on call can phone you later in the day.

Visit #8 - You should be twenty-eight (28) weeks pregnant.  During this visit, we will screen you for gestational diabetes. You will drink a sugar beverage when you first sign in and have your blood tested one hour later. We do not advise you to fast for this visit, but please don't eat or drink anything really sweet before your appointment. You usually will see a doctor during the hour wait.

Visits #9, 10, 11 - At these visits you will be thirty (30) weeks, thirty-two (32) weeks and thirty-four (34) weeks.  These are brief visits during which we will measure your blood pressure, weight, and abdominal growth.  Also, we will listen for your baby's heart rate, check your urine and answer any questions. 

Visit #12 - This should be during your thirty-sixth (36th) week of pregnancy. During this visit, we will test you for Group B streptococcus (GBS). GBS is a type of bacteria that is found in up to 40% of pregnant women.  A pelvic exam will be performed, during which we obtain a culture from the vagina, perineum, and rectum.  If your culture returns positive for GBS, you will receive antibiotics during your labor to help prevent GBS from being passed to your baby.  GBS is fairly common in pregnant women.  Yet only rarely do babies actually become sick from GBS infection.  We also will check to see if your cervix is dilated and make sure the baby's head is down.

Visit #13 through delivery - We will see you every week during this time to check your vital signs and offer any counseling. If you think you are in labor or want to have your cervix checked, we will do an exam at the office. We do not have to do an exam every week.

At and after 41 weeks we will monitor the baby's heart rate for 20-30 minutes (NST) to ensure that the baby is in good health. Only rarely do we discuss induction before you are 41 weeks pregnant.

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