Whether you’re thinking about becoming pregnant or you already are, you want to the best prenatal care for you and your baby. At Capital Women’s Care - Bethesda, the professional and compassionate team focuses on providing you with exactly what you need to have the best pregnancy and prepare for labor and delivery. With two board-certified obstetricians, Dr. John Gschwend and Dr. Deena Kleinerman, and a certified Nurse-Midwife, Kimberly Severn, you get the care you need and answers to the questions you have. If you live in Bethesda, Maryland, call today to schedule your appointment.
Prenatal care focuses on keeping you healthy while you’re pregnant and giving your developing baby a head start in life. Through regularly scheduled prenatal appointments, your obstetrician or nurse-midwife monitors your health and the baby’s growth and development.
In most cases, you will have monthly prenatal appointments from weeks 4-28. During weeks 28-36, this will shift to twice a month. From weeks 36 through delivery, be prepared for weekly appointments. If you’re high risk, you may need more frequent prenatal appointments.
Early and regular prenatal care is a vital part of your pregnancy health. Absent proper prenatal care, the baby’s health is also at risk. The chances of having a low birth weight baby are three times as high, and the risk of a stillbirth or death during labor and delivery are five times higher.
As part of your routine prenatal care, the team at Capital Women’s Care - Bethesda schedules certain prenatal testing. During your regularly scheduled appointments, they may take your blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. They may also do routine urine screens.
At specific times during your pregnancy, the team may recommend other tests, such as:
If you’re ready to have a baby, the team at Capital Women’s Care - Bethesda recommends preparing your body before you try to conceive. The better your health when you get pregnant, the easier that pregnancy and delivery will be.
To improve your preconception health, your OB/GYN may recommend:
If you take hormonal birth control, such as the Pill or Patch, your doctor may recommend going off of the medication and opting for alternative contraception while you prepare to become pregnant.
When you’re ready to have a baby, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN at Capital Women’s Care - Bethesda today.
