Your first trimester is up to 14 weeks from your last menstrual period.
Before pregnancy
We recommend that you consider a preconception visit when you first start thinking about becoming pregnant. You and your doctor or midwife will review your general health as well as specific concerns you may have about becoming pregnant during your visit.
0 to 10 weeks
Pregnancy is not detectable until around the four-week mark, or about two weeks after conception. You can use an over-the-counter home test kit to determine if you are pregnant. Once you have a positive pregnancy test, call to make an intake appointment with one of our nurses. You and our nurse will discuss your health, history, and arrange for appropriate lab work.
The intake appointment is best completed six to eight weeks from the last day of your menstrual period.
10 to 12 weeks
During these appointments, you will meet with one of our nurse practitioners, midwives, or residents who will review your family medical history, answer your questions, and offer optional genetic testing. You will be asked to take a standard round of blood tests to determine your blood type, check for anemia, and gauge your immunity to other diseases.
At either the same visit or during a follow-up visit, you will meet with your obstetrician or midwife from the prenatal care team. Your obstetrician or midwife will conduct a thorough physical and pelvic exam, a Pap smear, and a sexually transmitted disease (STD) test. Women with chronic medical conditions, or who have had problems with previous pregnancies may need to be seen earlier during their first trimester.
You may choose to have a first-trimester screening test. The test combines ultrasound and maternal blood testing to estimate the risk of Down syndrome and trisomy 18. The first-trimester screening test is optional.