What is the standard check up time line for expecting mothers?

[silkiechicken]

I have a co-worker who is expecting and they are going in for check ups every 4 weeks for like the first 6 months, then every 2 weeks, and then every week, and then twice a week for the last two weeks before the "expect" date....

I have no kids and nothing planned for a long time, but that seems like A LOT of visits. Is this normal? They are healthy young parents. Both in their late 20's.

My mom went in like 3 maybe 4 times. Pregnant, check! Ultrasound normal! On the way! Her mom delivered all 9 kids at home because people didn't go to hospitals for stuff like that and my coworkers parents only went twice each, confirmation and then birth.

It just seems like so much, and after their first ultrasound, they said there is a 1:500 chance that this spot they saw might be a sign of something which normal rate of occurrence is 1:1000 with nothing they can do about it... yet suggested another ultrasound... Is that right?

So I'd like to hear what "normal" numbers of visits might be.

 

[TyrannosaurusChix]

yes, thats normal. my youngest is 10, oldest is almost 14. it was the same with all of them.


i think it comes down to prevention, modern science is able to tell you if you have a lot of genetic problems , blood sugar problems or other problems with all of the tests nowadays.

 

[mom'sfolly]

My youngest is about to turn 9, and I was 38 when I had him. I didn't have that many appointments, until I developed gestational diabetes. I saw the doctor for confirmation, and then for scheduled testing at 12-14 weeks and at about 20 weeks, then much more frequently after a couple of failed diabetes tests. I think for the last two months I was once a week (advanced maternal age and diabetes), and I don't think I ever went twice a week, but I may have forgotten.

This seems a little frequent to me.

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks!

Guess so far it sounds pretty normal. I was just concerned because everything has the green light health wise so far, thus wondering if so many visits is necessary. They are international students and they are easy to take advantage of because they are so trusting of everything and I don't want to see them put in a situation that is not necessary.

I understand modern medicine is a blessing as I work in research, but feel that sometimes $$ for treatments/checks/rechecks overrule what is medically necessary.

 

[Qi Chicken]

My youngest is only 4 so you would think I would remember but I'm almost positive I didn't go that often. I don't know about the spot and the 1:1000 thing. Maybe they saw something? If it were me I would sure as heck want to know what that spot might be. Every 2 weeks at 7 months is above average for sure.

 

[suzettex5]

Yup- thats the right timeline. I've had 5 so far, and its been exactly like that every time. As for the tests and ultrasounds, they DO err on the side of caution, mostly due to negligence (sp?) lawsuits, etc.

Some Dr. offices may be slightly different, like fewer appts. during the first 3 to 4 months, but then its just appt after appt, till birth, then you have another one a few days after birth, then another at 6 weeks to update birth control and check out your recovery, and then you're onto appts for the baby every few weeks!

It never ends!!

ETA- any mother, at any time, does have the right to decline an appt- it is up to the patient to educate themselves and make their own decisions about treatments.

 

[silkiechicken]

Thanks!

Not sure what the spot thing is, sometimes things get lost in translation. I think I can stop worrying about them going in what seems like so very often!

 

[Mattemma]

I had my kids at home so for me the schedule was different at once a month with the midwife and no US.No internal check until I was in labor,and then only 1. I did the least amount of intervention/contact with healthcare workers.The schedule you posted sounds normal to me from what I read when I was pregnant.

 

[gudrin]

Yup, no worries. Just had my baby a little over three months ago. I went in every four weeks till something like 28 or 30 weeks, then every two weeks till something like 35 or 36, I think, then it was every week. Everything was fine in my pregnancy, but that's just the schedule. Oh, and I didn't go to a doctor, I went to a certified nurse-midwife, so it's not just doctors that do that.

 

[ChurkLover]

It's normal. I have a 5 yr old and 3 yr old twins and it was like that with both. I know it sounds like a lot of appointments, but I have friends who have found issues with the baby by doing this and had they not been going in for these frequent appointments, would have lost the baby. There are developmental milestones the baby makes that the doctors typically look for...heart rate, length of baby, size of mother's stomache, is the baby's head up or down etc. I don't know if you have insurance, but with my Blue Cross, all of the appointments were covered as one treatment so I only paid the first co-pay and that was it. All appts for the next 8 months were covered-no copay. It's all considered a continuing treatment-at least mine was so it wasn't very costly for me, until delivery day