How Far Along Are You for the First OB Appt?

[WishboneDawn]

Saw in another thread that someone was seeing their OB at 9 weeks! I'm in my 28th week and won't see my OB for the first time until next week. Up until now my GP has handled all the tests and checkups and this is pretty standard for a normal pregnancy here.

 

Of course I then realized that not everyone's doctors are as "general" in their practice as mine and many of the ones here. Just curious now.

[Impish]

In ON, when I had Diva, I didn't see an OB until after 28 wks.

 

Here, in AB, you can opt to see an OB after 12 wks.

[Tangerine]

My midwives start between 9 and 12 weeks. I think a 20 week ultrasound to check organ formation and such is pretty standard these days, so I would guess most OBs would want to see you before then.

[Parrothead]

I saw mine the first time when I was about 5 weeks. I had problems the entire first and the first half of the second trimester.

[lovinmyboys]

Before we moved here I saw a family dr. Here, I don't think any family drs see OB patients because of the liability. 9 weeks is about the earliest. I think most OBs start seeing patients around 10-12 weeks.

[ChristusG]

Mine wanted to see me beginning at 6 weeks. The last two times it was 8 weeks though.

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Most OB's around here start seeing you between 10-12 wk.

[athena1277]

I saw mine about 8 weeks. Wished they would have seen me sooner because I get some awful morning sickness. When I finally saw the OB when I was preggo with ds, she put me in the hospital. I was dehydrated do to all the morning sickness (that lasts all day/night) I had been dealing with for 2 weeks.

[MelanieM]

In ON the standard of care was to test for pregnancy with an MD, then get a referral for an OB. So my OB care with my first started at maybe 10 weeks.

 

With midwives (in ON and here in NS) I just called to say I was pregnant, they determined whether or not they could take me, and my care started from there. (NS has been more complicated because of midwife shortages and catchment area, but if I'd been in the area for my practice I would have gotten in right away. As it was, I had to wait until 20 weeks because they're required to reserve vacant spots for 'locals' until then.)

[Hwin]

Early, 6wks, because I had lost a baby previously.

 

I think it was around 11-12 weeks with my first, though.

[Quiver0f10]

Usually around 8-12 weeks. If I get pregnant again I will need to see the doc right away due to a molar pregnancy 2 years ago.

[Princess Peach]

Between 8-12 weeks for each of my midwives (all different ones in 2 different states).

[sassenach]

12-14 weeks with all of my pregnancies, but I've never had a GP who handled pregnancies.

[soonermomma]

My doctor saw me at 6 weeks with all three of my pregnancies. He also does an ultrasound at that appointment just to make sure it is a normal, developing pregnancy. That is how I found out it was twins at 6 weeks pregnant.

[AndyJoy]

My OB starts appointments at 6 weeks.

[Soror]

Around here I think it is around 6 or so for the first time but several weeks later for subsequent.

[duckabell]

The local midwives group here does the first appointment between 8 and 10 weeks.

[Veritaserum]

8-10 weeks

[Crimson Wife]

12 weeks with my first because it was a crappy Army clinic. My 2nd I had an appt. for 9 weeks but went in at 7 for an u/s because I was spotting & cramping (turned out to be the beginnings of a GI virus, ugh!). My 3rd my first appt. was at 8 weeks.

[Stages]

My OB/GYN (in Mississippi) gets people in around 6 weeks for blood work and a pap smear, then 8 weeks for a dating ultrasound.

 

My OB/GYN is the only doctor I see on a regular basis.

[UnsinkableKristen]

8 - 10 weeks

[Shellydon]

I have delivered with both OBs and Midwives. They both scheduled me at 8 weeks.

[Parker Martin]

Here it's eight weeks unless you've had a miscarriage before. If you've had a miscarriage in the past, they want to see you as soon as you find out you're pregnant to do hormone tests and an early ultrasound.

[RahRah]

With DS I was in at five weeks for a beta hCG since I was late and the HPT's were inconsistent - negative, faint positive, negative - so that was to confirm pregnancy, followed by a second blood draw two days later to confirm the hCG was doubling. Then back again at six weeks for an ultrasound to check for heartbeat, which obviously was there. Then I was part of a trial for fetal nuchal translucency test - so I was in the ten and a half week group and had my ultrasound and blood work at ten and a half weeks. Then it was the routine visit schedule until delivery.

 

With baby-DS, a blood test confirmed the pregnancy, then six weeks for heartbeat ultrasound, we did the nuchal translucency testing at eleven weeks and then (due to my age) the maternal fetal specialist started serial monitoring at 16-weeks (IMO totally unnecessary, but DH agreed with him, so I did that).

[gardenmom5]

Saw in another thread that someone was seeing their OB at 9 weeks! I'm in my 28th week and won't see my OB for the first time until next week. Up until now my GP has handled all the tests and checkups and this is pretty standard for a normal pregnancy here.

 

Of course I then realized that not everyone's doctors are as "general" in their practice as mine and many of the ones here. Just curious now.

 

where do you live? I've always seen my OB by the ninth week, and even as early as six weeks.

[Mommee & Baba]

OB's around here are between 9-12 weeks.

 

I went to the dr. for all 3 of my pregnancies right around 9-12 weeks. :001_smile:

[WishboneDawn]

where do you live? I've always seen my OB by the ninth week, and even as early as six weeks.

 

I'm in Nova Scotia, Canada. My GP does the initial exam (she does my pap smears as well - I don't go to an OB/GYN for that sort of thing at all. She also sees my kids, not a pediatrician) and as well as check ups and referrals for blood work, gest. diabetes and ultrasounds. Gest. diabetes test and blood work are done in a local provincial health clinic and U/S's are done in one of the local hospitals.

 

I imagine that if I had any issues I'd be seeing the OB a lot sooner. Frankly, I'm quite happy waiting because my GP is much closer and I have a great relationship with her.

[WishboneDawn]

In ON the standard of care was to test for pregnancy with an MD, then get a referral for an OB. So my OB care with my first started at maybe 10 weeks.

 

With midwives (in ON and here in NS) I just called to say I was pregnant, they determined whether or not they could take me, and my care started from there. (NS has been more complicated because of midwife shortages and catchment area, but if I'd been in the area for my practice I would have gotten in right away. As it was, I had to wait until 20 weeks because they're required to reserve vacant spots for 'locals' until then.)

 

That's another factor I hadn't thought about. I've not considered a midwife - I couldn't reason out why I'd bother for the last couple of months of a pregnancy. Didn't realize if I'd opted for one I'd probably see her much sooner. It's all good though. I love my GP so I'm glad she plays as big a role in my pregnancy as she does.

 

I also wonder if the fact that I'm rural has anything to do with it. Maybe if I was in Halifax I'd see specialists more often and wouldn't have a GP in the sense that I do now. It's actually wasn't too long ago - 20 or 25 years maybe - that in my practice is was still the GP who got the call to deliver the baby and had to meet the mom-to-be at the local hospital. :)

[gingersmom]

I saw mine when I got the + symbol. :001_smile:

[Aelwydd]

I didn't see an OB my entire pregnancy. :001_smile:

 

I saw a nurse midwife instead. First appointment was about 8 weeks. Had all the regular blood draws, urine tests, and a 20 week ultrasound.

 

I imagine your situation is set up like mine was, Dawn. The GP (or midwife) is quite competent to oversee all aspects of a normal pregnancy; however, if any indicators come up for a problem, then you get referred to a specialist (OB).

 

The US has a much bigger emphasis on specialist practice. Fractured bone? Gotta have it seen and set by an orthopaedist. Got a funky mole? Gotta have it seen and removed by a dermatologist. Pregnant? Gotta be seen by an OB for the entire pregnancy (although, much of the time, nurses and PAs end up providing a huge chunk of the care anyway).

 

It's not necessarily "bad," but it's a very expensive form of care.

[SnowWhite]

For my first two pregnancies (miscarriages), my OB did not want to see me till I was 12-13 weeks. I switched practices due to that office's cavalier attitude toward my miscarriages, and my new OB did bloodwork (found out I am chronically hypothyroid), and a progesterone suppository cream. So for all three of my healthy pregnancies I went to the OB ASAP after a PPT so that I could get that progesterone prescription. I also have to see my Endocrinologist ASAP to adjust to a pregnancy thyroxine dose.

[Pretty in Pink]

It probably depends on what country you live in. I think most Americans begin seeing their OB around 10 weeks.

[leeannpal]

I saw mine the first time when I was about 5 weeks. I had problems the entire first and the first half of the second trimester.

 

I did too. Also, I had already had an ectopic pregnancy, so early visits were important.

[Daisy]

I have to be seen immediately to rule out ectopic. They like to have an ultrasound prior to 8 weeks.

[MelanieM]

That's another factor I hadn't thought about. I've not considered a midwife - I couldn't reason out why I'd bother for the last couple of months of a pregnancy. Didn't realize if I'd opted for one I'd probably see her much sooner. It's all good though. I love my GP so I'm glad she plays as big a role in my pregnancy as she does.

 

I also wonder if the fact that I'm rural has anything to do with it. Maybe if I was in Halifax I'd see specialists more often and wouldn't have a GP in the sense that I do now. It's actually wasn't too long ago - 20 or 25 years maybe - that in my practice is was still the GP who got the call to deliver the baby and had to meet the mom-to-be at the local hospital. :)

 

Well, if you'd wanted a midwife you probably wouldn't have had much luck this time around! The only ones in the province right now are two in the valley and two in Bridgewater. I'm in at the Bridgewater practice, but couldn't get in until after 20 weeks because they had to leave that spot open in case there was a local. (I actually didn't see them until 24 weeks, and didn't do any prenatal care prior to that.) But normally, yes, midwives provide care throughout the entire pregnancy. And it's very, very different than OB care, fwiw. For example, each of my appointments is 45-60 min long, compared to the 5-10 min I saw my OB with my first! (Not sure how long you're in at your GP, but my experience with doctors for general stuff is also short appointments.)

 

I also think you're right on the rural front. Really, a typical pregnancy with no issues doesn't require a specialist approach, so unless it's convenient (or there's a preference) there's no reason for seeing a specialist. But it does seem more and more common for OBs to be the standard of care and for GPs to not provide prenatal/birth support. I suspect these days that many GPs never attend births at all, compared to not so many years ago when they would have been the standard of care.

[kesmom]

Usually it is sometime between 8-12 weeks unless there are complications. I was in earlier a couple of times for severe morning sickness.

[PeacefulChaos]

Saw in another thread that someone was seeing their OB at 9 weeks! I'm in my 28th week and won't see my OB for the first time until next week. Up until now my GP has handled all the tests and checkups and this is pretty standard for a normal pregnancy here.

 

Of course I then realized that not everyone's doctors are as "general" in their practice as mine and many of the ones here. Just curious now.

 

 

Wow! That seems really late to me - but I guess things are different everywhere :)

I go to a medical college/hospital. It's literally the best place around. I absolutely love it. Anyway... All my OBs have been residents. (both of them were also chief resident, after they had become my OB - yep, I know how to pick 'em. :lol: )

With DS(7), my first appt was at 10 weeks. Same with DS(5). After that, I had appts every 4 weeks until about 7 months, when I started having appts every 2 weeks. With DS(7), I had weekly appointments for the last 3-4 weeks. With DS(5) it wasn't really necessary - we knew I wouldn't be worrying about going into labor, or trying to put me into labor, because I was having a c/s no matter what. So with him my most frequent was every 2 weeks.

With DD things were different because I had an ectopic pregnancy 8 months before I got pregnant with her, so I was a little scared. :) I went for a nurse practitioner visit at 4 weeks, and had my first u/s and doctor visit at 7 weeks. I then had 3 more u/s because at the 7 week u/s they found a cyst they wanted to keep an eye on. (which was ok, because then they could keep reassuring us after the 16 wk one that it was still, in fact, a girl... girls don't come often in DH's family :tongue_smilie: ) Anyway, after the 7 week they were about 4 weeks apart and then followed the same pattern as they did with DS(5).

that was probably way more detail than necessary. But you know how it is, every mom likes to tell all these weird details... :)

[katilac]

OB at six weeks; southern United States.

 

There isn't an ob around here who would take on a patient at 28 weeks! It can be hard to get on as a new patient, period, so if you don't visit an ob/gyn routinely . . . well, lotsa luck getting someone to deliver that baby :D

 

I'm sure part of it has to do with payment structure: one of the first things you do with the ob is figure out your insurance and payment plan, which you don't have to worry about, correct? Around here, you usually pay the ob an agreed upon amount for treatment throughout the pregnancy and delivery. That's the ob's fees only; you pay separately for the actual hospital stay, for an epidural if you have one, and so on.

 

If you don't make plans or have insurance, someone will, of course, deliver the baby, but it's not the most pleasant route to go. For the most part, choices in doctor/hospital/etc are not yours to make if you go that route.

[WishboneDawn]

OB at six weeks; southern United States.

 

There isn't an ob around here who would take on a patient at 28 weeks! It can be hard to get on as a new patient, period, so if you don't visit an ob/gyn routinely . . . well, lotsa luck getting someone to deliver that baby :D

 

I'm sure part of it has to do with payment structure: one of the first things you do with the ob is figure out your insurance and payment plan, which you don't have to worry about, correct? Around here, you usually pay the ob an agreed upon amount for treatment throughout the pregnancy and delivery. That's the ob's fees only; you pay separately for the actual hospital stay, for an epidural if you have one, and so on.

 

If you don't make plans or have insurance, someone will, of course, deliver the baby, but it's not the most pleasant route to go. For the most part, choices in doctor/hospital/etc are not yours to make if you go that route.

 

Yep, We just have the one insurer, the provincial government. And I'm also in a rural area. I think that plays a role as well.

 

My GP does everything a widwife/OB would up until I see an OB and if there were issues I'd probably be off to see the specialist sooner.

 

ETA: I really didn't realize that I'd be the odd one out when I started this thread. :)

[Melissa in Australia]

I never saw one, I had a general practitioner who had done some obstetrics training. the nearest OB is over 200 km away.

[Peela]

Never saw one.

Here I think they are more used when there is an actual problem, not routinely.

Same with paediatricians. I have never seen either.

[Melissa in Australia]

Never saw one.

Here I think they are more used when there is an actual problem, not routinely.

Same with paediatricians. I have never seen either.

:iagree: the only people I have met that have used one were people who were having serious complications with their pregnancy ( like my sister) or people who are having multiples (twins).

 

Paediatricians are specialists, they deal with very sick children. Why would I waste their valuable time with perfectly healthy children?

[NanceXToo]

Where I live in PA it's standard to start seeing the OB at 7 weeks.

[Meriwether]

Our family doctor has always been a GP with OB. With my first three, I went for a first appointment at around 6 weeks. I found out we were moving two weeks after I found out I was pg with my fourth and decided to wait. I was about 5 months before I saw a doctor with her.

[DusksAngel]

As soon as I found out I was pregnant. It was easiest with the last as our family doctor also delivers.

[swellmomma]

I am usually at an OB withint 6-9 weeks. However, with my first I was 20 weeks before I was transferred over. After him I get referred to an OB immediately because I have high risk prenancies.

[The Girls' Mom]

With mine I saw an OB very early...like as soon as I even thought I was pregnant. However, I had a history of early miscarriage.

 

I think with my first pregnancy I was right at 8-9 weeks when I went in.

[BigMamaBird]

I make an OB appointment as soon as I've told my dh.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

With this pregnancy and the last one I was/will be with my family doctor the whole time. My first appointments were at 14ish weeks and 1 day shy of 9 weeks. With my first three pregnancies (different locations) I saw an OB the entire time, starting around 10 weeks.

[littlebug42]

I have a complicated obstetric history so my OB sees me within days of a positive pregnancy test at home.

 

Around here, because of malpractice issues, I don't know of any GP's that deliver babies anymore. It is getting harder for many women to even find GYN's that will actually deliver babies. Many won't deliver babies anymore because of the high cost of the malpractice insurance.