Prenatal visit questions by week

The schedule at a glance

Every pregnancy and every practice is different. ACOG now describes "tailored prenatal care," where "you and your ob-gyn can adjust your visit schedule based on your preferences and health needs" (ACOG). Use this page as a prompt list, not a timetable.

Before 10 weeks: the first visit

Why now. ACOG says "It's best to start prenatal care in the first trimester. Before 10 weeks after your last period is ideal, but it could be earlier or later depending on when you find out you are pregnant, how quickly you can find an ob-gyn in your area, and other factors." At the first visit "you and your ob-gyn should talk about your personal and family health history," and ACOG suggests bringing the first day of your last period, a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements, and your health history (ACOG, Prenatal Care). Early lab tests typically include a "complete blood count (CBC)," "blood type and Rh factor," "urinalysis" and "urine culture," plus screening for rubella, hepatitis B and C, HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and tuberculosis (ACOG, Routine Tests). In England, the "First midwife appointment at 8 to 12 weeks" covers your history, blood pressure, a urine check and blood tests (NHS).

Questions to bring

• What is my estimated due date, and how was it worked out?
• Which blood and urine tests are you ordering today, and when will we talk through the results?
• What is my blood type and Rh status, and does it change my care?
• Here is everything I take, including vitamins and supplements. Should any of it change?
• How will my visits be scheduled, and which ones can be by phone or video?
• Who do I call between visits, and what is the after-hours number?
• Which symptoms should I report the same day?

Weeks 10 to 13: first-trimester screening choices

Why now. ACOG explains that first-trimester screening, a blood test and a nuchal translucency ultrasound, "usually are done together between 10 weeks and 13 weeks of pregnancy," and that cell-free DNA screening "can be done starting at 10 weeks of pregnancy." ACOG is clear that "It is your choice whether to have prenatal testing" (ACOG, Prenatal Genetic Screening Tests). In England a dating scan is offered "at around 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy" (NHS, 12-week scan).

Questions to bring

• Which screening tests are available to me, and what does each one look for?
• What is the difference between a screening test and a diagnostic test?
• If I choose screening, when would I get results, and who explains them to me?
• Is there a cost or insurance step I should know about before I decide?
• If I prefer not to screen, does that change anything else in my care?

Weeks 15 to 22: the anatomy scan and second-trimester screening

Why now. ACOG says "You should have at least one standard exam during your pregnancy, which usually is performed at 18–22 weeks of pregnancy," and that a standard ultrasound "checks the fetus's physical development, screens for major congenital anomalies, and estimates gestational age" (ACOG, Ultrasound Exams). The optional quad blood test "is done between 15 weeks and 22 weeks of pregnancy" (ACOG, Prenatal Genetic Screening Tests). The NHS 20-week scan "is usually done when you're between 18 and 21 weeks pregnant," and "It's your choice if you want to have a 20-week scan or not" (NHS, 20-week scan). At the UK 16-week appointment the midwife will "discuss the results of previous screening tests" and "give you information about the next scan you'll be offered" (NHS).

Questions to bring

• What will the anatomy scan look at, and what will it not be able to tell us?
• Who performs the scan, and who will go through the findings with me?
• If something needs a closer look, what happens next and how soon?
• Can my partner or support person come, and can we find out the sex if we want to?
• How are my earlier screening results being used now?

Weeks 24 to 28: glucose screening, Rh, and the first vaccine window

Why now. ACOG says the glucose screening test "usually is done between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy," and "might be done in the first trimester of pregnancy if you have risk factors for diabetes or had gestational diabetes in a past pregnancy" (ACOG, Routine Tests). For Rh-negative people, ACOG notes the antibody screen may be done "again at 28 weeks of pregnancy," and that "RhIg given at 28 weeks of pregnancy destroys these Rh-positive cells in the woman's body" (ACOG, The Rh Factor). The CDC says "optimal timing for Tdap administration is between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation" (CDC). In England the 28-week appointment includes a blood test "to check your health, iron levels and blood group" and the offer of "an injection if your baby is at risk of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (rhesus disease)" (NHS).

Questions to bring

• When is my glucose screening, and is there anything I should do or not do beforehand?
• What happens if the first glucose test is high?
• Am I Rh negative? If so, when would I get Rh immunoglobulin, and what should I know about it?
• Which vaccines do you recommend during pregnancy, and when do you give the whooping cough (Tdap) vaccine here?
• Will my iron be re-checked, and when will I see the result?
• Should I be counting or tracking baby's movements yet, and how do you want me to report a change?

Weeks 28 to 36: more frequent visits, RSV, and the flu shot

Why now. ACOG's traditional schedule moved to "increasing visits from the eighth month to delivery" (ACOG, Prenatal Care). The CDC recommends the maternal RSV vaccine "if you are 32-36 weeks pregnant during September through January in most of the U.S.," and notes that an infant RSV antibody is an alternative given to the baby (CDC, RSV). The CDC adds that "Influenza vaccination can be administered at any time during pregnancy, during the influenza season as long as flu viruses are circulating" (CDC). ACOG also says "You should be tested for syphilis three times during pregnancy: at your first prenatal visit, in the third trimester, and at delivery" (ACOG, Routine Tests). In England the 34-week appointment covers "preparing for the birth, your preferences for birth and knowing when you're in labour" (NHS).

Questions to bring

• How often will I come in from here, and which visits are in person?
• Is the RSV vaccine right for my timing and season, or would the baby's antibody dose be the plan instead?
• Is it flu season now, and should I have the flu shot?
• Which third-trimester blood tests are repeated, and why?
• How do I know when I am in labor, and when should I call or come in?
• What are my birth preferences, and where do I write them down so the team sees them?

Weeks 36 to 38: group B strep and baby's position

Why now. ACOG says "you should be screened for GBS as part of routine prenatal care. The test for GBS is called a culture. It is now done between 36 and 38 weeks of pregnancy," and if GBS is present "antibiotics are usually given through an intravenous (IV) line once labor has started" (ACOG, Group B Strep). The UK takes a different approach: "Routine testing is not currently recommended and tests are rarely done on the NHS" (NHS, Group B strep). At the UK 36-week appointment the midwife will "ask to feel your bump to check the position of the baby" (NHS).

Questions to bring

• When is my group B strep test, and how will I learn the result?
• If it is positive, what does that mean for labor and for the baby afterward?
• I am allergic to penicillin. Who should know, and when?
• Which way is the baby lying, and does it change anything about my plan?
• When should I go to the hospital or birth center, and what should I bring?

Weeks 38 to 41 and beyond: the last stretch

Why now. The NHS 38-week and 40-week appointments both "discuss your choices if you're still pregnant after 40 weeks," and the 41-week appointment covers "your choices if you're still pregnant after 41 weeks," alongside checks of blood pressure, urine, bump size, the baby's position and movements, and your mental health (NHS).

Questions to bring

• What are my options if I go past my due date, and when would we talk about each one?
• What signs mean labor is starting, and which ones mean I should call right away?
• How will the team check on the baby in these final weeks?
• Who will be my point of contact after the birth, and when is the first postpartum visit?
• How am I feeling, honestly? Is there support I should set up now for the first weeks at home?

When to contact your care team now, not at the next visit

This page cannot judge symptoms. The CDC publishes a list of urgent maternal warning signs and says: "Seek medical care immediately if you experience any signs or symptoms that are listed below." Its list includes a "Headache that won't go away or gets worse over time," "Dizziness or fainting," "Changes in your vision," "Fever of 100.4°F or higher," "Extreme swelling of your hands or face," "Thoughts about harming yourself or your baby," "Trouble Breathing," "Chest pain or fast-beating heart," "Severe nausea and throwing up," "Severe belly pain that doesn't go away," "Baby's movement stopping or slowing during pregnancy," "Vaginal bleeding or fluid leaking during pregnancy," "Severe swelling, redness, or pain of your leg or arm," and "Overwhelming tiredness" (CDC, Urgent Maternal Warning Signs).

If you are not sure whether something is urgent, call your care team or local emergency services rather than waiting. Ask your practice at the first visit which symptoms they want to hear about the same day; their answer is the one that fits you.

Where the US and UK differ

What this page does not do

It does not answer the questions. It does not say what is normal, safe or likely for you. Your care team knows your history, your results and your pregnancy; this page only helps you arrive with your questions written down.

Niva is a pregnancy tracker and wellness app for iPhone that keeps week-by-week food ideas and visit questions in one place, so you can save the questions above to the week they belong to and bring them to each visit. Free to download. Optional Niva Plus. Available in the US and Canada on the App Store.