Pregnant and need to Initiate Prenatal Care?

Start Here!

Initiating Prenatal Care

There are several ways to initiate prenatal care with NMCSD. Options include:

• Walk-in to the OBGYN clinics at Balboa or NTC for a urine pregnancy test.

  • Patients with positive results will have a message sent to our pregnancy dating ultrasound clinic for appointment scheduling.

• See your PCM for a referral.

  • Referrals to our clinic will be accepted and you will be contacted to schedule a pregnancy dating ultrasound.

• If you PCS during pregnancy, contact your new PCM for a referral.

  • You will be contacted to schedule a prenatal registration appointment as well as a clinic visit.

• If you are pregnant and have a PCM outside of the military, your PCM will place a referral for obstetric care.

  • If NMCSD has the capacity to see you, we may accept that referral. If that occurs, your prenatal care will occur at NMCSD.

  • If we do not have capacity to see you, the referral will get sent back out to the community and you will get care outside of NMCSD.

Prenatal Care Pathway at NMCSD

• 4-8 weeks gestation-Positive Pregnancy test or referral.

  • Message sent to our ultrasound clinic and you are scheduled for a pregnancy dating ultrasound.

• 8-10 weeks gestation-Dating ultrasound is performed, immediately followed by a pregnancy registration appointment.

  • Genetics counseling class scheduled within the next week that reviews different options for genetic screening during pregnancy.

  • Prenatal labs obtained.

• 10-12 weeks gestation-Initial OB visit with physician, nurse midwife or nurse practitioner.

• 16-18 weeks gestation-Routine prenatal visit.

  • Discuss your well-being.

  • Possibly order additional testing to screen for chromosomal abnormalities in the baby.

  • Anatomy ultrasound ordered.

• 18-22 weeks gestation-Anatomy ultrasound performed in the Radiology department or with Maternal Fetal Medicine depending on risk factors.

• 24 weeks gestation-Routine prenatal visit

  • Ultrasound results reviewed if not done already.

  • Assessment of fetal growth and heart rate.

  • Gestational diabetes and anemia screening (28 week) labs ordered.

• 28 weeks gestation-Routine prenatal visit

  • Review 28 week lab results.

  • Assessment of fetal growth and heart rate.

  • Rhogam administration if your blood type is Rh Neg.

• 32 weeks gestation-Routine prenatal visit

  • Assessment of fetal growth and heart rate.

  • Review of the Labor and Delivery consent form.

  • Birth preferences worksheet provided.

• 36 weeks gestation

  • Assessment of fetal growth and heart rate.

  • Assessment of fetal position usually via ultrasound.

  • Review of birth preferences and discussion on options for contraception after delivery.

• 38 weeks gestation

  • Assessment of fetal growth and heart rate.

  • Discussion of labor if not done already.

  • Possibly perform a cervical exam if you desire.

• 40 weeks gestation

  • Assessment of fetal growth and heart rate.

  • Discuss timing of labor induction if you do not go into labor spontaneously.

  • Possibly perform a cervical exam and membrane sweep if you desire.

 
Pregnancies that develop complications will deviate from this pathway and typically require more frequent clinic visits and fetal assessments.