First visit during pregnancy : when should it be done? What does it involve? Is it a different moment than the first ultrasound?

If you are here, it almost certainly means that these questions are crowding your mind.

Maybe you've just experienced the thrill of seeing the two lines on a positive pregnancy test and are now researching your next steps.

Well, this article is for you! As you can see, it is preceded by an index.

If you are interested in learning more about a specific aspect of the topic, all you have to do is click on the dedicated paragraph.

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Now, as I like to say, we get to the heart of the action: follow me in the next lines to discover a topic of great importance for the beginning of the journey of sweet waiting.

As specified at the beginning of this video by Doctor Maria Chiara Alvisi, independent midwife, curator and protagonist of the prenatal video course that you can find at the end of the paragraph, it is crucial to clarify the difference between the first visit during pregnancy and the first obstetric ultrasound.

The two moments just mentioned are different both from the point of view of their peculiarities and with regards to their timing.

When a woman discovers she is expecting, she should promptly contact her trusted freelance midwife or the center where she has chosen to be followed.

The goal is to book, without urgency but still avoiding going beyond the first few weeks, the first obstetric visit.

This is an extremely important moment.

In fact, it provides that crucial issues for the health of the mother and her baby are put on the table.

It all starts with collecting the patient's medical history.

The midwife also asks about the partner's medical history, in order to have a clear picture of the genetic heritage that the puppy will inherit.

During the first pregnancy visit , if the midwife has never seen the future mother, she will also find out about her menstrual history and the presence, in the medical and human journey, of any other pregnancies and/or abortions.

If the woman is already a mother, the first obstetric visit during pregnancy includes a focus on breastfeeding management by the professional.

The information listed in the previous lines is reported in the obstetric record.

The latter can be defined both as a pregnancy diary and a “photograph” of the obstetric journey of the future mother.

Continuing with the list of steps that characterize the first visit during pregnancy , I would like to remind you that, during it, the midwife provides specific indications regarding eating habits.

During the meeting - which can last more than an hour - another topic of unique relevance is touched upon: the management of the work routine.

Underestimating this aspect is risky.

As I have had the opportunity to recall in this broad excursus on osteopathy during pregnancy, it often happens, unfortunately, that expectant mothers who have a sedentary job pay little attention to the position they assume when, for example, they spend time in front of the PC.

The result? A higher risk of having to deal with annoying conditions like lower abdominal pain.

In this situation, I would like to remind you of a suggestion given by Doctor Alvisi in this video , namely the use of localized heat.

Returning to the topic of the first obstetric visit during pregnancy , remember that, during this meeting, we also talk about the tests that, based on her situation, the future mother should carry out as soon as possible, defining times and methods.

Do you have recent blood and urine test results? It is a good idea to bring them with you.

The parenthesis just described concerns the cognitive part of the visit.

The second phase includes an objective examination of the breasts and a check of the pelvic floor.

The midwife also measures blood pressure , a value that must be monitored throughout the pregnancy.

The first obstetric visit is the first stone of a journey that is nothing short of important and special.

To underline the centrality of the midwife's role during pregnancy, I remind you that, as specified in this article , two ultrasound scans are recommended during pregnancy.

Aspects that, in the past, were monitored with growth ultrasound, are now kept under control thanks to the professionalism of the midwife, between measurements and palpation maneuvers.

What can be said, instead, about the first ultrasound ? I will discuss it in depth in the next paragraph.

As specified at the beginning of the article, the first visit during pregnancy and the first obstetric ultrasound are two distinct moments.

In the second circumstance, the future mother must pay a little more attention to timing.

The first obstetric ultrasound , in fact, should be performed within the first twelve weeks of gestation, avoiding proceeding too early.

Having your first ultrasound scan too early in pregnancy - before the seventh/eighth week of gestation - means exposing yourself to a high risk of increased anxiety.

The reason is very simple: the operator who manages the ultrasound scanner has no way of obtaining evidence on fundamental aspects such as the heartbeat and the normal implantation of the embryo in the uterus .

In most cases, only a small gestational sac is seen.

There is nothing strange about it since, I repeat, it is still early !

You need to arm yourself with patience - a quality that you need to befriend throughout your pregnancy - and have your first ultrasound scan between eight and twelve weeks.

This is the best time to see for sure if the pregnancy is in the uterus , if it is twin or single , if the embryo , which is measured by highlighting the CRL value, has cardiac activity and if this is regular . In addition, it is possible to ascertain whether the placenta is well implanted.