Prenatal Care

It is extremely important to make an appointment with a health care professional as soon as you suspect you are pregnant.

Prenatal care is important to check for several potential problems that might occur in rare cases, some of which can now be treated prenatally, thanks to today's amazing medical technology.

The first few prenatal visits will likely occur on a monthly basis, and be a bit more in-depth, including blood tests, a sonogram and a pelvic exam.

Subsequent prenatal visits, while becoming more frequent as you near your due date, will also become shorter -- a half hour or less. These visits will monitor blood pressure, weight gain or loss, abdomen circumference and uterine size, location of the fetus and fetal heartbeat.

It is important for a doctor to monitor these changes throughout your pregnancy.

Also refer to:

Why do you need prenatal care?