Obstetrics/Pregnancy

Before You Conceive

Summary of Pregnancy Management

Other obstetrical services offered by our practice include:

First Trimester Ultrasound

Forms

Pregnancy:

Advocare Burlington County Obstetrics & Gynecology offers complete obstetrical care including preconception counseling, prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care. We recommend that when you are considering conceiving, you should be evaluated before you become pregnant to review your medical history and your family's history and heritage, undergo a physical exam, and have any necessary testing including a Pap smear and blood work as appropriate. Any concerns or questions that you have can be addressed at that time as well. You are encouraged to take a multivitamin before you conceive as this has been shown to reduce the risk of spinal cord defects (spina bifida). Once you have conceived, we encourage you to make an appointment as soon as possible to begin your prenatal care and get started on the right path to a safe and healthy pregnancy.

During your pregnancy, you will be seen on a regular basis by one of our practitioners. At your first prenatal visit, a complete medical history and physical exam will be performed. We may also perform a first trimester ultrasound to evaluate your pregnancy. Routine blood work is done by one of our in-house lab technicians. You will be asked to fill out several forms including the Prenatal Questionnaire. If you are new to our practice, you will complete a New Patient Intake Form. You will be given printed materials regarding your pregnancy, including information regarding Post Partum Depression, and will also have the opportunity to ask any questions and voice any concerns you may have. Appropriate prescriptions will be given at this visit.

Follow up visits are scheduled at regular intervals depending on how your pregnancy progresses. Since we have several physicians that practice obstetrics, we ask that you see most if not all of them during the course of your pregnancy. If you prefer, you can limit your prenatal care to one or two of the practitioners, but because of the unpredictable nature of having a baby, we cannot predict who will be available for your delivery.

During the course of your pregnancy we offer some optional testing including first or second trimester screening for certain birth defects, chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis as appropriate, and additional ultrasound testing as needed. Around 28 weeks, several blood tests are performed to check for anemia and pregnancy induced diabetes. As always, you are encouraged to ask questions at these visits. If questions arise after hours, a physician is always available through any of our office phone numbers.

As you enter the final weeks of your pregnancy, we continue to closely monitor you and your baby's well-being. During this time it is not unusual to be seen on a weekly basis. We test for Group B strep colonization and continue to address your questions and concerns. When the big day finally arrives, we ask that you call the office when you think you are in labor, if your bag of water has broken, or if you have any questions.

High Risk Pregnancy management including hypertension, diabetes and multiple pregnancy
RhoGAM® for Rh negative women
External Cephalic Version for breech babies
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section (VBAC)

First trimester ultrasound is an imaging technique utilizing a transducer to produce sound waves that are projected onto a video monitor. During this procedure a small probe is placed in the vagina to visualize an early pregnancy. In addition, other pelvic structures including the tubes and ovaries can be evaluated for abnormalities. This probe gives the practitioner a high resolution image of the developing pregnancy. It also helps to detect signs of an abnormal pregnancy at an earlier time than is possible with an abdominal probe. There is usually minimal discomfort associated with this test. You do not have to have a full bladder for this procedure.

The providers at Advocare Burlington County Obstetrics & Gynecology usually perform an ultrasound for you during your first obstetrical visit.

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Obstetrics/Pregnancy