Your OBGYN does two roles, the first is inspecting your fetus and making sure it is growing well and without complications and the second is inspecting you to make sure that you are adapting well to pregnancy and interferes when he detects any problems. Your doctor will also provide a safe delivery plan and support during the post delivery period till you return back to your pre-pregnancy shape.

Good antenatal care has proven efficiency in reducing maternal and fetal problems and even death during pregnancy period or delivery period and after delivery period. In addition new techniques have been developed for prenatal testing that facilitated early detection of problems in the fetus which give parents time to check for medical or surgical treatment after birth and also to prevent the same problems from happening again in other pregnancies.

What does the doctor do in the first visit?

• Your doctor will start an antenatal care file for you
• He will ask you some medical  and family history questions which have to be answered accurately like:
  • Blood group and Rh factor?
  • What illness did you have before?
  • Did you do any operation before?
  • Are you taking any medication?
  • Were you pregnant before and how did it go?
  • Is there any a familial disease or hereditary traits in your family.
  • And some other questions which will help him have a general idea on any risk factor that might happen during your pregnancy period.
• Then he will ask you when was the first day of your last period?
• Your weight and blood pressure will be recorded in the first visit
• You will  be asked to do some laboratory investigations (e.g. Blood Group, Rhesus factor, complete Blood picture, Blood Sugar, urine analysis, etc)
• The doctor will decide upon the first ultrasound scan which will be around the 7th week of pregnancy. Usually the scan will be through your abdomen and you should have a full bladder. Sometimes the scan will be done through the vagina but the ultra sonographer will talk to you about this if it proves necessary.
• He will give you instructions regarding nutrition, resting and exercising and will teach you the danger signs during pregnancy e.g. (vaginal spotting, fatigue, lower abdominal pain, severe vomiting or headache) any of which if you feel, you contact him at once. He will also explain all the fetal wellbeing exams that are performed.
• Your doctor arranges your visit schedules according to your case. You have to follow your doctor instructions well to deliver a healthy baby. You have to discuss with your doctor any changes that happen so that he can differentiate between normal and abnormal changes.
• Sometimes surgical interference occur (E.g. Cervical Cerculage)

What does the doctor do in every visit?

• Each visit you will be inspected for weight, blood pressure, general inspection with the addition of inspecting the baby inside you .The doctor makes sure that everything is all right and there are no signs of danger like e.g. pre eclampsia, gestational diabetes.
• Then he prescribes the appropriate nutrition for your pregnancy interval and exercises which are suitable for you.