women s health issues
Medical Care During Pregnancy
Follow up examinations
After the first examination, a pregnant woman should see her doctor as follows: Every 4 weeks until 28 weeks of pregnancy Then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks Then once a week until delivery At each examination, the woman’s weight and blood pressure are usually recorded, and the size of the uterus is noted to determine whether the fetus is growing normally. The woman’s ankles are examined for swelling. Doctors check the heartbeat of the fetus. It can usually be detected at about 10 to 11 weeks with a handheld Doppler ultrasonography device. Once a heartbeat has been detected, doctors check it at each visit to determine whether it is normal. At each visit, urine is tested for sugar. Sugar in the urine may indicate diabetes. If the urine contains sugar, a blood test to check for diabetes is done as soon as possible. Even if the urine does not contain sugar, doctors usually test all women for the type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy ( Gestational diabetes ). This blood test is done at 24 to 28 weeks. It measures the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood 1 hour after women drink a liquid that contains a certain amount of glucose—called a glucose tolerance test. If women have risk factors for gestational diabetes, this test is done early in the pregnancy, preferably before 12 weeks. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include the following: Severe overweight (weighing more than 250 pounds) Gestational diabetes or a large baby (weighing 10 pounds or more) in a previous pregnancy An unexplained miscarriage in a previous pregnancy First-degree relatives (such as mothers or sisters) with diabetes A history of having sugar in the urine over a long period of time Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) with If results of the initial test are normal, these at-risk women are retested at 24 to 28 weeks. At each visit, the urine is also tested for protein. Protein in urine may indicate Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (a type of high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy). Blood tests to check for thyroid disorders is done if women Have symptoms of a thyroid disorder Come from an area where moderate to severe iodine insufficiency occurs Have relatives who have had a thyroid disorder Have had a thyroid disorder Have type 1 diabetes Have had infertility problems, early delivery of a baby, or a miscarriage Have had head or neck radiation therapy Are severely obese Are over 30 years old If women have a high risk of conceiving a baby with a genetic disorder, Prenatal Diagnostic Testing can be done. 