Congratulations on your pregnancy! You’re probably a little excited and a little nervous. Receiving good prenatal care can help calm your nervousness.
At the Center for Women’s Health, board-certified OB/GYN Sharon Breit, MD, and her experienced and compassionate providers offer prenatal services to help support a healthy mother and a healthy pregnancy.
Find out more about what’s included in prenatal services and why it’s so important for you and your baby.
Your first prenatal care visit is your longest prenatal appointment. During this visit, we conduct a comprehensive physical exam and let you know your due date.
Your exam includes blood and urine tests, a weight and height check, a breast exam, and a pelvic exam. It may include a test for sexually transmitted diseases. We also discuss lifestyle, nutrition, and exercise.
It’s a good idea to come with a list of all the questions you may have about your pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care. Write them down so you don’t forget any of them.
After your first visit, you should schedule prenatal exams every month for the first 28 weeks. After 28 weeks, schedule your exams for twice a month through week 36 and weekly thereafter. If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, you may need to see us more often.
We check your weight, your baby’s heart rate, and your abdomen to measure the baby’s growth at each visit. Additionally, we test your blood for anemia and for gestational diabetes.
Other tests and screenings you may have during your prenatal care visits, depending on your age and risk factors, include:
We conduct this test at 14-20 weeks to identify certain birth defects, including Down syndrome and spina bifida. This test is usually recommended for women who are at higher risk of genetic disorders.
CVS is performed at 10-13 weeks and similarly tests for birth defects, but earlier in your pregnancy. It’s also recommended for couples at higher risk of genetic disorders.
Most women get a routine ultrasound at 18-20 weeks to check for any organ or body abnormalities. You may also get to see the gender of your baby during this procedure.
If you’re pregnant and ready to schedule a prenatal care visit, call us at the Center for Women’s Health in Wichita, Kansas. For your convenience, you can also request an appointment online through this website.
We offer telehealth appointments, too. Please call our clinic to determine if your visit is eligible for a telemedicine appointment.
