Share
Home › Taxonomy term ›

Prenatal Checkups Articles

  • All Pregnancies Should be Screened for Down Syndrome

    Nuchal translucency (NT), a non-invasive screening for Down Syndrome, measures thickness at the neck of the fetus.

  • Non-stress Test: Monitoring Your Baby's Well-Being

    Due to special situations like high blood pressure, premature rupture of membranes, twins or triplets, your provider may decide to order a non-stress test (NST). An NST monitors a baby's health by showing his/her baseline heart rate and also any increases in the heart rate due to movement. It's an easy, painless, non-invasive test that allows your providers to monitor baby's well being in the womb.

  • Demystifying Drug Categories for Pregnant Women

    Mothers who require medication for a chronic health condition will be faced with a dilemma: continue therapy and possibly risk harm to their baby or risk under-treating a serious illness, which can be harmful to both. How do you know what drugs are safe during pregnancy?

  • Choosing a Hospital and Doctor

    There are major differences in the way doctors and hospitals approach pregnancy and delivery. I'd like to spend the next few minutes making you a savvy consumer. The hospital is the most important choice you will make with regards your pregnancy. Is it baby friendly? Can it care for preterm babies? Take these and more into consideration when making your decision.

  • Eating for Two: Weight Influences on Pregnancy

    The extra weight you gain during pregnancy provides nourishment to your developing baby and is also stored for breastfeeding your baby after delivery.

  • Questions to Ask Your Doctor About: Asthma and Pregnancy

    What questions should you ask your doctor about asthma and pregnancy? Find out!

  • Questions to Ask Your Doctor About: Bed Rest

    If you've been prescribed to bed rest for your pregnancy, this brings all kinds of things into question. Here is a list to ask your healthcare provider.

  • What to Expect at Your Prenatal Visits, 33 - 36 weeks

    If your pregnancy is progressing normally, you probably will be visiting our doctors and nurses every other week during this time period. At 36 weeks gestation, your provider may schedule weekly visits until your baby arrives. At each visit you can expect the routine:

    • Your weight measured
    • Your blood pressure taken
    • Your urine analyzed
    • Your abdomen measured to check you baby's growth (fundal height)
    • Your baby's heartbeat listened to
    • A vaginal exam may be done at each visit to:

  • Pregnancies Close Together

    If your first baby isn't very old, it's only natural to be concerned about what other people will think when you tell them your good news -- particularly those that are closest to you.

  • Multiple Pregnancies: Twins, Triplets and More

    Having a pregnancy with one baby causes enough changes in your life -- not to mention your body. It's hard to imagine adding one, or two, or even more to the mix.