Prenatal Care and Testing

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Basics

The goal of prenatal care is to ensure the well-being of mother and baby using the best available evidence guided by patient-oriented outcomes. General concepts include:

  • Estimating the gestational age (GA) as accurately as possible
  • Identifying the patient who is at risk for complications
  • Evaluating the health status of mother and fetus
  • Encouraging and empowering the patient for motherhood, newborn care, and breastfeeding her baby-to-be
  • Intervening when fetal abnormalities are present to prevent morbidity

General Prevention

In the United States, the typical prenatal visit schedule consists of the following:

  • Monthly visits to a health care professional for weeks 4 to 28 of pregnancy
  • Visits twice monthly from 28 to 36 weeks
  • Weekly after week 36 (delivery at weeks 38 to 40)

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Basics

The goal of prenatal care is to ensure the well-being of mother and baby using the best available evidence guided by patient-oriented outcomes. General concepts include:

  • Estimating the gestational age (GA) as accurately as possible
  • Identifying the patient who is at risk for complications
  • Evaluating the health status of mother and fetus
  • Encouraging and empowering the patient for motherhood, newborn care, and breastfeeding her baby-to-be
  • Intervening when fetal abnormalities are present to prevent morbidity

General Prevention

In the United States, the typical prenatal visit schedule consists of the following:

  • Monthly visits to a health care professional for weeks 4 to 28 of pregnancy
  • Visits twice monthly from 28 to 36 weeks
  • Weekly after week 36 (delivery at weeks 38 to 40)

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