Antenatal care involves being seen by your Obstetrician at regular intervals during your pregnancy to check that all is well with you and your baby.

Regular meetings with your Obstetrician also give you the opportunity to ask questions about your pregnancy and the birth of your baby.

Your first ‘booking visit’ takes a little time, and is designed so that your care-providers can find out about your general health and pregnancy and wellbeing.

Antenatal Visits:

At your first antenatal visit with the doctor, it will be necessary for them to complete a full physical examination. This is to ensure that you are in good physical health during the pregnancy and identify any potential problems. Blood tests will be done at this visit. During this visit, the Doctor will establish your due date, the approximate day that your baby will be born. Depending on how many weeks you are in your pregnancy, an ultrasound may be ordered at this visit as well. This visit is a good time to get acquainted with your doctor/midwife and ask any questions you may already have. The rest of your antenatal visits will not need to be as long or detailed as your first visit. You will be given appointments approximately every 4 weeks at the beginning of your pregnancy until 28 Weeks, then every 2weeks until 36 weeks and in the last month it will be weekly until delivery, this is to ensure that your pregnancy is progressing smoothly.
Later, in the third trimester, you will need to visit the doctor every two weeks, and then every week as your due date approaches. Your weight, blood pressure and urine will be tested at each visit, so remember to come with a full bladder. Ask the clinic nurse for the urine specimen container to take home. Please pass a fresh specimen of urine about one hour before your appointment. We also check the baby’s heartbeat at each visit. It is important to keep your scheduled appointments to ensure the best health for you and your baby.

Summary of antenatal visits frequency