Routine pregnancy visits are every 5 weeks until you are 18 weeks, then every 4 weeks until you are 26 weeks, then every 2 weeks until you are 36 weeks, and then weekly. If you develop any complications, the visits may be more often.
Important Routine Visit Dates:
16 to 20 weeks - Quad Screen Blood Test
28 weeks - Diabetes screen blood test, time to pre-register and enroll in prenatal classes if interested
36 weeks - Hemoglobin blood test, group B strep culture obtained, labor talk & we begin cervical exams
1-800-QUIT-NOW
Quitting smoking can benefit both you and your child
Benefits to your baby:
The Arkansas Tobacco Quitline provides pregnant women 10 one-on-one phone sessions with a personal QuitCoach®. Consider it five for you and five for your unborn child. You choose your own quit date, preferably set before you give birth.
Prenatal massages provide many benefits to expecting mothers. Carrying a baby changes your body and puts a lot of stress on your back, neck, abdominal muscles, and shoulders. Our prenatal massages are customized to fit the needs of pregnant woman and our licensed massage therapist will adjust techniques to maximize the benefits. Relax tense muscles, ease sore spots, improve circulation and mobility are just a few ways prenatal massages are beneficial to soon-to-be mothers. This type of massage therapy can also improve moods and lower stress levels, reduce prenatal depression and anxiety, and lower the risk of preterm birth. All in all, prenatal massages can put you in a more relaxed state and help you feel at ease with the big changes going on in your body.
Back pain may be related to several different causes. Low back pain is usually related to either the weight of the uterus resting on your backbone or the strain on your lower back from carrying the added weight of your baby. This is best treated with getting off your feet if possible, taking Tylenol, and using a heating pad. Upper back pain may be related to your kidneys. This should be reported at your scheduled appointment or sooner if it is associated with fevers or symptoms of a bladder infection.
You are predisposed to get these when you are pregnant. Common symptoms are burning with urination, frequent urination, and low-grade fevers. If you have these symptoms notify our office.
You are predisposed to get these when you are pregnant. Common symptoms are burning with urination, frequent urination, and low-grade fevers. If you have these symptoms notify our office.
Viruses cause colds; therefore, antibiotics are rarely necessary. Treat your sinus symptoms with decongestants such as Actifed, Sudafed, Drixoral, Benadryl, Tylenol cold products, etc., your cough with Robittussin, and your fever with Tylenol.
Try to avoid constipation by increasing the amount of fluids and fiber in your diet. You may also use dietary fibers such as Metamucil and Fibercon, as well as stool softeners like Colace or Miralax.
You may go to the dentist when you are pregnant and have any dental work they feel is necessary. If they have any questions on medicines to give you they will call us.
This is typically associated with sudden changes in posture. In some cases it is related to hypoglycemia (low sugar). If it has been awhile since your last meal and this begins to occur, try to eat more frequent smaller meals instead of larger meals to avoid this problem.
You should expect to start feeling your baby move sometime between 14-20 weeks. At approximately 20-24 weeks you should feel your baby move at least daily. After 24 weeks, you should feel it move at least three times every hour of every day. If you think your baby isn’t moving as much as it should then you should do “kick counts”. This is done by drinking something with sugar (juice, soda, etc.), lying on your left side, and then observing to make sure your infant moves at least three times over the next hour. If it does not, then notify us.
You may have a perm put in your hair and you may color it without risk to the pregnancy.
You may use Tylenol but avoid any Aspirin products or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents like Motrin and Aleve.
Try to eat small meals. Avoid eating immediately before lying down. You may use antacids such as Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta, Maalox and Pepcid as well as Tagamet and Zantac. Avoid Pepto Bismol because it contains Aspirin.
An irregular heart rate and a fast heart rate are both very common in pregnancy. If you notice your heart “racing”, sit down and try to relax as becoming anxious makes the problem worse. If you have episodes of fainting associated with these, please notify us.
You should try to avoid constipation (see above). You may also use topical ointments such as Preparation H.
We recommend that you get a flu and Tdap shot. If you desire, you may have a TB skin test.
You may try Benadryl or Unisom to help you rest.
You should try to eat small, simple, frequent meals and bland foods. Notify us if you cannot keep liquids down or if you vomit blood. Dramamine or vitamin B-6 may be helpful.
These are common in pregnancy due to increased blood volume. It is helpful to try to keep your nasal passages from becoming too dry with the use of a humidifier or saline nasal drops.
Round ligament pain is a sharp sudden pain in the groin area caused by movement of the uterus. If you experience this, move carefully and avoid sudden movements. You may use heating pads and Tylenol to reduce pain.
This is most common in the last trimester. When possible, keep your feet elevated and lie on your left side to help this problem. Notify us if the swelling suddenly becomes excessive.
Travel by car or plane is acceptable throughout the pregnancy. Anytime after 36 weeks, however, you have the risk of going into labor and we recommend not traveling too far from Conway unless you have another hospital available for you to use. It is important to wear your seat belt at all times.
Conway Women's Health Center
2519 College Avenue
Conway, AR 72034
Phone: (501) 450-3920
Fax: (501) 450-7718