Did you recently find out you’re pregnant and want to know what happens at each prenatal visit? Here’s everything you need to know week-by-week.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclaimer for more information.
Discovering you’re pregnant is such an exciting time of your life! You’re going to want to start looking at baby clothes, thinking about possible names, picking a nursery color, and more.
Although the fun tasks seem most important, you’re going to want to schedule a prenatal visit as soon as you can. Keeping up with your prenatal appointments is one of the best ways you can ensure the health of both you and your baby.
It’s never too late to schedule a prenatal visit and any visit is better than none. Your healthcare provider will run tests, check your baby’s heartbeat, and give you useful information in order for you to have a healthy pregnancy.
You will have a decent number of appointments throughout your pregnancy so here is a detailed guide of what happens at each prenatal visit.
This post is all about what happens at each prenatal visit.
What is prenatal care?
Prenatal care is another word for the healthcare that you receive while you’re pregnant.
It is a preventative form of healthcare, where your health care provider monitors both you and the baby (or babies) throughout your pregnancy.
In addition, prenatal health care providers aren’t just limited to OB-GYNs. You can also see a nurse practitioner, midwife, or family physician, if you prefer.
The main goal of prenatal care is to ensure that both mom and the baby are healthy.
Benefits of keeping up with prenatal visits
There are many benefits of going to your prenatal visits:
- Lowers the risk of pregnancy complications
- Reduces the baby’s risk of complications
- Keeps you informed about your baby’s progress
- Routine diagnostic testing can catch medical conditions early
- More prepared for labor and delivery
All of these benefits can contribute to a healthier outcome for both mom and the baby (or babies).
Is prenatal care covered by insurance?
Yes. All you have to do is confirm which practices in your area accept your insurance.
To do this, you can call your insurance and have them give you a list of practices. You can also call the practices you’re interested in and confirm which insurance carriers they accept.
Can I receive prenatal care without insurance?
Yes. You can check to see if you qualify for Medicaid or find a clinic near you that offers free prenatal care.
How often are prenatal visits?
Generally, the schedule above is how often you can expect to go to a prenatal visit. In your first two trimesters, you’ll have appointments every 4 weeks.
In your third trimester, you’ll start going every 2 weeks. And as your birth nears, you’ll go weekly starting around 36 weeks.
If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you may have prenatal visits more often. High-risk pregnancies include but are not limited to:
- Pregnant with multiples
- Over the age of 35
- Prone to pre-eclampsia or other medical conditions as a result of pregnancy
- History of miscarriage
What happens at each prenatal visit
0-6 Weeks (1 visit)
- Urine or blood samples to confirm your pregnancy
- Weight check and blood pressure check
While some practices may see you this early into your pregnancy, most won’t. They will typically wait until you’re further along, when the rate of miscarriage drops.
If they do want to see you at this point, they will likely just confirm your pregnancy through a blood or urine test and check your weight and blood pressure.
This would be a good opportunity for them to check if your hCG (pregnancy hormone) levels are rising the way they should, which could provide some reassurance.
6-12 Weeks (1-2 visits)
- Physical exam
- Urine samples
- Weight and blood pressure checks
- Plenty of questions about your medical history
- Blood draws and standard testing
- STD testing
- Pap smear
- Dating ultrasound
- Optional genetic testing
Between 6 and 12 weeks along, you’ll have your first real prenatal visit and it’s typically the longest.
First, they’ll confirm your pregnancy with a blood test or urine sample if they haven’t already.
A urine sample will not only tell them whether you’re pregnant but will also measure your protein and glucose levels, which can determine whether you’re prone to pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes.
Then they will perform the standard weight and blood pressure checks and complete a full physical.
After that, your health care provider will ask you plenty of questions about your medical history, including anything that runs in your family. This is also a great opportunity to ask them questions too!
They will also want to know about your obstetrical history and maybe even your diet and lifestyle habits.
In addition, you will have your blood drawn to determine your Rh status, blood type, and whether you have rubella or diabetes. They will also do complete blood count, which will give them further insight into your overall health.
You can also have your blood drawn for optional genetic testing, which may be the NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing). It’s very low-risk, accurate, and screens for chromosomal abnormalities like Down-Syndrome.
You can even elect to do further genetic carrier screening if you know of any conditions that run in your family.
One thing to note is that if you’re doing genetic screening, you’ll be able to find out the gender of your baby. So if you don’t want to know, you’ll want to let your provider know ahead of time.
And then along with your pap smear, they will complete STD testing, which is typically quick. If you had a pap smear within the last year, you can mention that so you don’t have to do it again.
Lastly, and most importantly, you’ll have your first ultrasound, also called a dating ultrasound. This ultrasound will give you your official due date and you’ll probably even be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat!
12-16 Weeks (1-2 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Schedule fetal anatomy ultrasound
Following your very in-depth initial visit, the rest of your prenatal visits should be simpler. If there were any tests that were not done between 6 and 12 weeks, they’ll likely be done at these visits.
You can expect to do a urine sample, have a weight and blood pressure check, and hear the fetal heartbeat at every visit until you have your baby.
If you’re having a high-risk pregnancy, you may have more ultrasounds to ensure that everything is going well.
If you’re having a low-risk pregnancy, your prenatal visits between 12 and 16 weeks may be quick. You’ll probably think that you don’t need to go but you should! It’s important.
You can always ask any questions you have and make the most out of every visit.
16-20 Weeks (1-2 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Fetal anatomy ultrasound (between 18 and 22 weeks)
Between 16 and 20 weeks, your prenatal visits will be more-or-less the same as they were between 12 and 16 weeks.
You will do a urine sample, a weight and blood pressure check, and hear your baby’s heartbeat using a doppler.
The urine sample and weight and blood pressure checks are simple but test for serious prenatal conditions like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes.
During this time, you’ll likely have your fetal anatomy ultrasound, which is the most in-depth ultrasound you’ll receive during your entire pregnancy. It’s also known as the level 2 ultrasound.
At your level 2 ultrasound, the ultrasound technician will measure various body parts and organs of your baby. Doing so will catch potential issues and ensure that baby is growing right on track.
The fetal anatomy ultrasound typically lasts about an hour and you’ll likely receive photos that you can take home, which is really exciting.
Lastly, if you haven’t found out already through blood work, you can find out the gender of your baby at this ultrasound. So if you are team green, be sure to let your technician know before you get started.
20-24 Weeks (1-2 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Fetal anatomy ultrasound (between 18 and 22 weeks)
- Review fetal anatomy ultrasound results
- Preterm birth prevention
- Register at the hospital
What happens at each prenatal visit during 20 and 24 weeks is similar to the previous 4 weeks with added prep for your third trimester. If you didn’t have your fetal anatomy ultrasound yet, you’ll do it during this time.
Your healthcare provider will review your fetal anatomy ultrasound results with you and express any concerns that he or she may have.
Around halfway through your pregnancy, you’ll begin prepping for delivery little by little. First, your health care provider may ask you whether you’ve started feeling contractions.
At this point, you’ll probably experience what are called Braxton-Hicks contractions, which feel like your belly getting tight and then releasing. These aren’t real contractions but just your body’s way of preparing for labor.
Your health care provider will also tell you how to differentiate between Braxton-Hicks contractions and real labor contractions.
Furthermore, they will also go over with you various ways to prevent preterm labor. And if you can, you may register at the hospital or birthing center that you’ll be delivering at.
This is a good idea in case you end up rushing to the hospital and are crunched for time.
24-28 Weeks (1-2 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Discuss pediatricians
- Optional hospital tour
- Optional prenatal/birthing classes
- Glucose test for gestational diabetes (between 24 and 28 weeks)
The usual urine sample and weight and blood pressure checks will be completed at these visits. And you will also hear your baby’s heartbeat with a doppler to ensure everything is okay.
If this is your first pregnancy, your health care provider may provide a list of pediatricians to choose from. If not, it’s a good idea to ask because pediatricians typically want to see your baby just a few days after birth.
You will also have the option to tour the hospital (or birthing center) and ask any questions you may have about the facility.
And usually, the hospital will have birthing classes that you can take to prepare you and your partner for labor and delivery.
Lastly, you will schedule your glucose test, which you typically take around 28 weeks. To take the test, a lab technician will measure your glucose levels and you will drink a very sugary drink.
Then they will measure your glucose levels again. If your glucose levels are too high after an hour, they will bring you in for another test that’s about 3 hours long.
28-32 Weeks (3 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Glucose test for gestational diabetes (between 24 and 28 weeks)
- Antibody screenings if you’re Rh negative
- Third trimester STD testing
- Hemoglobin test for anemia
- Discuss getting a breast pump through insurance
- Kick counts
- Tdap vaccine
Once you enter your third trimester, you should have a pretty good handle at what happens at each prenatal visit. You will start to go every 2 weeks (if you were only going every 4 weeks before.)
Your health care provider will also begin monitoring your weight and blood pressure more closely.
Pre-eclampsia can develop quickly at this point and quick weight gain and high blood pressure are two main indicators. You may also complete your glucose test if you haven’t already.
In your first trimester, you should’ve done blood test for Rh status. If you were negative for that, then you’ll do additional screenings for antibodies that will determine if you’ll need a shot called RHOGAM.
In addition, you may have your blood drawn again for another complete blood count, to ensure that you’re not iron deficient. And you may also complete another round of STD testing.
Then, your health care provider may recommend the Tdap vaccine (tetanus, whooping cough, and diphtheria). Your baby can receive your antibodies from that through the placenta, which is extremely beneficial.
And another useful bit of info is that you can actually receive a breast pump through insurance. They are pricey, so this is a huge win. You can begin with calling your insurance carrier and asking them about your options.
Lastly, in your third trimester, kick counting becomes more and more important. Your healthcare provider should walk you through how to do them and when to notify them if something doesn’t feel right.
You should do kick counts every day (at least twice) to ensure that baby is moving normally.
32-36 Weeks (3 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Signs of preterm labor
- Non-stress test if necessary
- Growth scan (third ultrasound)
- Kick counts
Between 32 and 36 weeks, your healthcare provider should revisit the signs of preterm labor and also stress the importance of continuing to do kick counts.
Following that, you’ll probably have your third and last ultrasound, also called a growth scan. Again, if you have a high-risk pregnancy, you will have likely had more than just the 3 ultrasounds.
At this point in the pregnancy, the baby is getting bigger and is probably a little crammed in your belly. So as you near your due date, your provider will take extra precautions to ensure that everything is okay.
Beginning at 36 weeks, you can expect to have weekly visits until you give birth.
36-40 Weeks (4-5 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Culture for Group B Strep
- Labor and delivery prep
- Kick counts
Your visits between weeks 36 and 40 will be more or less the same as your visits between weeks 32 and 36.
Your provider will have you complete the routine urine sample and they will also complete a weight and blood pressure check and check the fetal heartbeat.
They may also perform a test for something called Group B Strep, which is a harmless bacteria that occurs naturally in some individuals. It’s a vaginal swab that is completed fairly quickly.
If you happen to test positive for Group B Strep, all it means is that they’ll administer antibiotics through an IV while you’re in labor so that you don’t pass it onto the baby during birth.
Now is also the time to ask questions about labor and delivery prep if you haven’t already.
You’ll want to ask what you can expect with real contractions and when you should call your provider if you think you’re in labor.
40-42 Weeks (2-3 visits)
- Urine sample
- Weight and blood pressure check
- Hear fetal heartbeat
- Discuss induction
- Kick counts
If you are still pregnant past 40 weeks, your provider will likely start talking to you about induction. While you can go past 41 weeks, 42 weeks is typically the cut-off in order to avoid increased risk of stillbirth.
There are many ways you can be induced and your provider should go through the details before the actual induction takes place.
At this point in a pregnancy, kick counts are especially crucial, so you’ll want to make sure you keep doing those and alert your provider if anything seems off.
This post was all about what happens at each prenatal visit.
