When should the first prenatal visit be?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Ta Quoc Ban - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital
Taking good care of your health during pregnancy will help give your baby a healthy start when he's born. Therefore, the time of the first antenatal check-up is very important for the mother as well as the fetus.

1. When should the first prenatal check-up be?

Currently, antenatal care has become simpler and more popular thanks to the development of modern medicine. However, it is important that not all pregnant women determine a reasonable time for the first prenatal check-up.
During the first two weeks after successful conception, the egg will stay in the fallopian tube for about 48 hours and perform mitotic activities. After about 2 to 3 days, the zygote will move into the uterus and implant there. When she realized she was pregnant, she should go to a medical facility that specializes in obstetrics. Each antenatal checkup corresponding to each gestational age has different specific purposes. For example, the first pregnancy ultrasound will be to determine if the mother is really pregnant, single or multiple, internal or ectopic, and whether there are other problems with the mother...

2. What will be included in the first prenatal check-up?

The first prenatal check-up is the most important first step in pregnancy. Usually, the doctor will examine the mother's medical history in detail, check the current health situation, and do the necessary tests.

The process of first prenatal examination includes 5 basic indispensable sequences:
2.1. Asking and answering the mother's medical history and health In order to achieve the best results for the first antenatal check-up as well as in the subsequent antenatal visits, the mother needs to provide a detailed medical history as well as health. your health to help your doctor understand. With this step, pregnant mothers need to prepare to answer questions about the following issues:
Mother's medical history Chronic diseases that the mother has (if any) Medicines that mother often uses Mother has had surgery no, if so, at what time? Is there a history of allergies? Do you have fertility problems or a genetic disease that runs in the family? What are your mother's previous and current eating habits and nutrition? Do you use drugs or stimulants such as tobacco, alcohol... or not? History of previous pregnancies (if any). This information will help the doctor evaluate as well as predict the factors that may affect the mother's pregnancy. Therefore, the mother needs to bring the medical examination book as well as prepare the answers before the first prenatal visit.
2.2. Ask about pregnancy First, the doctor will do a general check-up to confirm the mother's pregnancy status through questions such as: When was the last time you had your period? What are the mother's pregnancy symptoms?...

2.3. Detailed examination of current health status During the first prenatal visit, the doctor will check the health of the pregnant mother, specifically:
Check the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, chest and abdominal cavity. Measure blood pressure, used as a basis for comparison with future antenatal visits. Check weight and height. In some cases, the mother will have a closer examination of the reproductive organs and pelvic area. 2.4. Perform some necessary tests Depending on the medical facility, you may have to perform different tests. However, the basic tests of a pregnant mother during the first prenatal visit always include one or more of the following:
Blood type and anemia test of the mother, beta HCG test Ultrasound Water test urine test to check the possibility of infection with sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis B... Pregnant women who are at risk of diabetes or are suffering from this disease will have to be tested. More about diabetes 2.5. The doctor answers the questions of the pregnant mother If the pregnant mother has more questions that need to be consulted, she can also discuss with the doctor during the first prenatal visit. Therefore, mothers should record questions, phenomena or concerns during pregnancy to be answered by their own doctor. This will help you feel secure and free from stress or anxiety during the nine months of pregnancy.

3. Notes to remember when going to the first prenatal check-up

In addition to paying attention to the time, pregnant women also need to pay attention to some of the following things when going to the first prenatal check-up:
Need to choose a doctor or reputable medical facilities for the first prenatal check-up to take place correct procedure, safe and high efficiency. You should prepare your questions in advance by making a list of them on paper or taking notes to get the best answer from the doctor. Remember to keep the results of the first antenatal check-up to serve as a basis for diagnosis and follow-up for future antenatal care visits. During the first antenatal check-up, the doctor will plan a periodical antenatal check-up for the mother, advise on diet, work, rest, personal hygiene, sports and marital activities. such as prescribing medicines and vitamins necessary for the development of the fetus. In particular, in the case of pregnant women with comorbidities or fetal status through ultrasound assessment of the unwell fetus, monitoring and treatment from the very beginning is extremely necessary and meaningful. for the mother.
When pregnancy is confirmed, in the first 3 months, pregnant women should take care of their health carefully because this is the most sensitive time during pregnancy. In order for the mother and baby to be healthy, the mother needs to adjust the diet and rest appropriately, good for the development of the fetus, especially in the first 3 months, it is easy to miscarry, pregnant women with a history of miscarriage. Premature birth requires extreme caution during this period. In addition, the first 3 months is also the time to perform the most accurate prenatal screening tests for babies, early to detect birth defects such as Down's disease. Therefore, choosing the location of maternity care and pregnancy ultrasound is very important. The effectiveness of the ultrasound method for diagnosing fetal malformations depends a lot on the qualifications of doctors and modern equipment.
Vinmec International General Hospital is a high-quality medical facility that is highly appreciated by customers for its quality of examination and treatment as well as professional services. Vinmec has the most modern equipment system, with the most advanced ultrasound machines in the world and a team of experienced obstetricians in prenatal diagnosis and intervention to help monitor and detect early birth defects.
To help mothers rest assured to take care of their pregnancy during 9 months and 10 days, Vinmec currently has many maternity packages (12-27-36 weeks), in which a 12-week maternity package helps monitor health. mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detection and timely intervention of health problems. In addition to the usual services, the maternity monitoring program from 12 weeks has special services that other maternity packages do not have such as: Double Test or Triple Test to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test for preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth...
Master. Doctor Ta Quoc Ban is formerly a Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Thai Nguyen University, Doctor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Thai Nguyen Central General Hospital, Deputy Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of Medical University. The doctor has full practice certificates in the field of obstetrics and gynecology such as: Ultrasound, laparoscopic surgery, endoscopic and electrocautery, artificial insemination (IUI)...
Experienced and qualified Strong in the following fields:
Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Laparoscopic surgery in gynecology Prenatal counseling Gynecological examination and consultation Infertility examination and consultation, implementation of sperm injection technique into the uterus , Pre-vaccination screening and treatment of post-vaccination reactions...

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