What Happens at Your Second Prenatal Visit
So you are wondering what your second prenatal visit will look like? Hopefully your first prenatal appointment went well. If you recall from my post about my first prenatal appointment you’ll know that I did not have any blood work done at my first appointment and that it would be taking place this time around. Let’s get to the deets about what to expect at your first prenatal visit.
When is the Visit?
Your second appointment will take place between Week 10 and Week 13. Mine was a few days after I reached 12 Weeks. If you are opting for genetic testing, you can get that completed as early as Week 10. We opted for genetic testing because we believe that knowledge is power. We wanted to know if our baby would have any genetic disorders that we should prepare for, and if our baby would have viable genetics. Another perk for this testing is that you can find out the sex of your baby before the 20 week anatomy scan. If you don’t want to know the baby’s sex, just tell your doctor and they’ll leave it off the paperwork they send you.
What is Genetic Testing?
You may be wondering what genetic testing is. For most women with insurance, it may not be a covered cost if you are under the age 35; however, we felt it was money worth spending. Some people feel really strongly that they don’t want any genetic testing done, an opinion that I also respect. There are a myriad of genetic tests available, but we chose the Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) and the Nuchal Translucency Test. As far as I know, you wouldn’t get more invasive genetic testing unless your doctor felt there was a reason to do so (this post is not medical advice, so always ask your doctor questions you have).
The NIPT is a blood test that looks for abnormal chromosomes and common chromosomal abnormalities. This cannot be done until at least 10 Weeks gestation. This is the test that also tells you the baby’s sex. It takes about 7-10 days to receive the results of this testing.
The Nuchal Translucency Test is an ultrasound that measures the thickness of the baby’s neck. A thicker neck could be a sign of a chromosomal abnormality. We received the results of this test as soon as we saw the doctor. All is well with Baby S!
What Else Happens at the Visit?
During our ultrasound for the Nuchal Translucency Test, we were able to hear Baby’s heartbeat for the first time (magical!!) and were excited to see him/her so active! It was precious and I could’ve watched it for hours. The ultrasound tech took some photos for us and printed them out. Your baby definitely looks like a baby now. I should note that it helps to have a full bladder for this ultrasound, so drink up and do your best to hold your pee until it’s over.
Next up was weight and a urine sample. Then we went to a room to talk to the nurse about my pregnancy symptoms, our family medical and genetic history, and my birth plan. I was not expecting them to want to discuss this so soon! Of course it will be an ongoing conversation as it gets closer to go-time.
The doctor came in to do a pap smear since it had been over a year since my last one. During this time he answered any questions Harry and I had. He told me what to expect with symptoms moving forward and ways to combat pesky constipation.
Lastly I had my blood work done. 7 vials! One was the NIPT, but they do a whole gambit of testing to make sure the pregnant woman’s body is functioning properly and that you have no diseases or vitamin deficiencies.
