Prenatal Care

About Prenatal Care

At Women’s Health at Valley View, we are dedicated to our patients and to helping them experience healthy and happy pregnancies. With prenatal care, we meet with expecting parents at the beginning of their first trimester and provide care all the way through childbirth. Our experienced team of board-certified OB/GYNs and certified nurse midwives will review your medical and obstetric history, request laboratory tests, and perform a physical examination at your initial visit. At our locations in Glenwood Springs, Basalt, Eagle, and Silt, CO, we are passionate about providing the highest level of personalized prenatal care for all expecting parents. To learn more, please contact one of our Colorado locations and allow us to welcome you to the beginning of your beautiful childbirth journey.

Prenatal Care Details

First Trimester Prenatal Care

When you call our office after a positive pregnancy test, our experienced staff will guide you through your care in the first trimester. We will tell when and where to schedule a first trimester ultrasound, we will schedule you for your first visits, including an intake with an OB nurse and your initial evaluation with a certified nurse midwife or OB/GYN, and we will send you important information to answer questions and help support your healthy pregnancy.

The OB Intake appointment typically happens around 6-8 weeks and may be either telehealth or in person, depending on your needs, with a member of our experienced OB nursing staff. The nurse will gather a complete OB and medical history, review your medications, identify any risk factors for your pregnancy and provide important education to support a healthy pregnancy.

• Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy (English)
• Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy (Spanish)

The 1^st OB appointment is scheduled between 10-12 weeks of pregnancy with a certified nurse midwife. At this first appointment we will check your vital signs, including your weight and height and listen to your baby’s heartbeat, A provider will perform a physical exam including checking your breasts, pelvis, heart, lungs and thyroid. Your provider may also recommend a cervical exam if you haven’t had one recently. This visit also includes lab work, and an introduction with our integrated behavioral health team. At this visit you may also choose to have additional bloodwork for genetic testing or to reveal your baby’s gender.

Every pregnancy is different but after this 1^st appointment, most patients will be seen every 6 weeks until 28 weeks then again at 32 weeks, 36 weeks, 38 weeks, then weekly until delivery.

Every prenatal appointment includes a check of your weight and blood pressure, as well as listening to the baby’s heartbeat. Later in pregnancy your visits will also include measurements of your belly to check baby’s growth, and feeling your belly to check baby’s position in your uterus.

Second and Third Trimester Care

15-21 weeks: If you would like additional testing to screen for neural tube defects you will have your blood drawn for a Maternal Alpha-Fetoprotein test once in this time period at your regular OB visit.

22 weeks: Around 22 weeks you will have an ultrasound, called the review of systems or anatomy scan, to look for physical signs of problems with baby’s development. You will have 2 visits scheduled at Women’s Health this day. The first visit will be for the ultrasound (this takes about 1 hour), followed by a separate visit with a provider. At the end of this visit we will provide you with a glucose drink and instructions for your next visit as well as a booklet of information about breastfeeding. For many patients the 1^st trimester ultrasound and the Review of Systems are the only 2 ultrasounds a person will need in a pregnancy.

28 weeks: At this visit you will have a blood test to screen for gestational diabetes. We will also test your blood for anemia, syphilis, and any other tests recommended by your provider based on your history. We will also want to start planning for delivery and beyond.

At 28 weeks it’s also time to start thinking about:

• Getting a breast pump if you plan to breastfeed
• Childbirth education classes (sign-up for a free class at the Women’s Health front desk)
• Applying for FAMLI+ and/or parental leave with your employer.
• Tdap vaccine
• Contraception after baby is born

32 weeks: If you are 32-36 weeks pregnant between September and January you will be offered a vaccine to protect your baby from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

36 weeks: At this visit we recommend testing for the group B streptococcus (GBS) bacteria. This test uses a small swab to take a sample from the vagina and rectum.

Family Participation

During your visits to our practice, we encourage you to bring family members along to your visits. Partners are always welcome and children may enjoy listening to their sibling’s heartbeat. However, during more extensive visits, it may be best to arrange childcare for young children and during some visits, your OB/GYN or midwife may request privacy with the expecting mother. In general, it is your decision on who you would like to accompany you during your visits, but we do request that you limit the number of additional people in the exam room to ensure you receive the attention and care you need from your provider.

Healthy and Happy

Prenatal care is essential to a healthy and happy pregnancy not only for you but also for your unborn baby. We are dedicated to helping you experience exceptional prenatal care and we are always available to answer any questions that you may have throughout your pregnancy. Contact Women’s Health at Valley View today to schedule your initial prenatal care consultation.