Pregnancy

When to see your doctor

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May 22, 2022

Most of your visits during the pregnancy are already pre scheduled and planned. After your pregnancy is confirmed, you will regularly visit your doctor or your OB/GYN for tests and screenings as planned.

Regular or scheduled visits during pregnancy

The scheduled visits of pregnancy are in order to make sure that the baby is growing at the rate that it is supposed to. It will look somewhat approximately like this:

 

  • You will need to visit the doctor once a month until the end of second trimester.
  • After the third trimester starts, your visits will become more frequent at twice a month. 
  • Once you reach the mark of 36 weeks, you might have to visit the doctors office once a month to make sure that the baby is doing fine. 
  • Apart from these scheduled visits, you might have some tests and screening days in between that your doctor will let you know.

When to see your doctor (apart from the scheduled visits)

You need to contact your doctor immediately in case you have these symptoms.

  • If you feel a strong pelvic or abdominal pain or strong cramps that doesn’t go away or lessen right away. 
  • Any amount of vaginal bleeding accompanied with or without any type of abdominal pain.
  • Severe headache that doesn’t go away in a couple of hours. 
  • Diarrhea mixed with bloody stool.
  • Abnormal level of swelling of face, hands and or feet in a short period of time.
  • Shortness of breath with or without blurred vision, double vision or or seeing spots.
  • Fever above 101 degrees.
  • After 28 weeks gestation, if you notice that baby movement is less than usual or absent.
  • Urge to pee without the ability to actually pee which might be a symptom of an Urinary Tract Infection or UTI.
  • Painful urination accompanied with or without fever and bloody urine.
  • Strong smell to vaginal discharge which could be because of a yeast infection.
  • Any kind of fluid leaks(water break) from vagina before the expected delivery dates could mean premature labor.
  • Bleeding in nipples.

Based on the severity of the symptom and the urgency, the doctor will let you know if you need to visit the office or take any action.

These symptoms might not always mean trouble but it is important that you talk to a professional and get their response as quickly as possible. The professionals can help you to assess the situation better and make better judgements. 

Signs of labor

There are some clear signs of labor that should give you an indication to call your doctor as soon as possible:

  • Your water breaks releasing a large amount of water from your vagina. 
  • Closer contractions at least 6 in the period of the last 60 minutes.
  • Your mucus plug comes out.

 

References:

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