If your pregnant why should you go see an ob/gyn?

Question

This is a debate I'm having with my spouse. He believes you shouldn't go until you need to go. I believe you should go just because you should. I would like answers on why I should go

Thanks

Answer 1

here's why:

at your first visit, they'll do a bunch of blood work. they'll check you for things like HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea/chlamydia, and hepatitis that could be passed to your baby during birth. they'll do a pap smear. they will check your blood type - important because if you are a different blood type than your baby, your body can see the baby as "foreign" and attack it, unless you receive the proper treatment. they will check whether you are immune to rubella - and if not you will have to be extra-careful to avoid exposures (very dangerous to baby), and you'll get immunized right after you deliver. they'll give you an estimated delivery date and look at the baby with an ultrasound.

at later visits (every month until 32 weeks, then every two weeks, then weekly after 36 weeks), they will check the heart rate and make sure the baby is growing well. if there are any problems, they can send you for more sophisticated tests (i.e. more blood tests, ultrasound). these are important for several reasons. some people want to know if, for example, their baby has down's syndrome or some other congenital defect, because they might choose not to have the child. some would want to know just so they could be mentally prepared. but even if you knew you would never consider a termination, all this screening is still imporant. say, for example, your baby has a serious congenital heart defect and won't survive long after birth -- you need to know this so you can plan for the surgeries he/she will need.

around your 28 week visit (or earlier if you have a history of diabetes), they'll check to see whether you have developed diabetes in pregnancy. high blood sugars are dangerous to your baby and gestational diabetes is very treatable, as long as it's caught.

at 36 weeks they will check to see whether you are a carrier of group b strep, a bacteria that lives in the vagina of 1/3 of women. not dangerous to you at all, but it can kill your baby if acquired at birth. so, if you have it, they'll treat you -- really simple.

i could go on and on about other things they will check (this list is by no means complete), reasons to go, etc. most likely, you will have a beautiful, healthy pregnancy and you will wonder what all the fuss was about. but now that the resources are there - it is a shame to put your health and your baby's health at risk when a few preventative measures can keep you both healthy!!! plus, it is a great way to learn what to expect and to get your questions answered - you will have a ton of questions (esp if this is your 1st pregnancy) and people will have all sorts of answers for you, but those answers won't necessarily be right!

hope that helps :) and good luck!!

Answer 2

You should go see an ob/gyn for the same reason you should go for a checkup at an internist even when you're not sick, to make sure everything is going well and to catch problems that may not be obvious early rather than waiting for them to show up on their own. There are several tests that are performed by an ob/gyn, especially early in the pregnancy, that can give important information about the health of the fetus, and if an ob/gyn has been following you for the pregnancy, that same ob/gyn can (usually) deliver your baby, which may be important if you delivery is anything but completely free of complications (and if the baby is in a breach position or there are abnormalities in where the placenta implants, knowing early can be potentially lifesaving).
You should really go see your doctor, for yourself, and for your baby, it's just the safe and smart thing to do (and it's covered by every kind of insurance I know of, so it shouldn't pose an undue financial burden).

Answer 3

The sooner you go to an ob/gyn the sooner they will detect if there are any problems. Many birth defects are known well before the child is born and correction and/or preparation for any health issues can be made to prevent any further damage. I can think of two instances where friends of mine were able to save their baby because they went of the ob/gyn early. One had to have an inutero-surgery (sp?) which corrected a life threatening problem before the child was born. In the other, they were able to detect a heart abnormality which required immediate surgery within hours of the birth. Both children would have died if good ob/gyn care had not been provided.

Answer 4

You should be seen by an OB-GYN for many reasons. First, there are conditions which may occur during pregnancy that may put mother and/or baby at risk. There is gestational diabetes which occurs during pregnancy and this can have a negative effect on the mother and baby. The mother's weight, blood pressure, urine and blood are used to measure the health of the mother and child. There are instances of early labor, which are sometimes prevented, due to a physical examination of the mother. Monitoring the mother and baby during pregnancy ensure that all was done in the best interest of both -- that all precautions were taken to ensure a healthy mother and child.

Answer 5

I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and you should go even if there isnt anything wrong because u never know what could be wrong....like your blood pressure could be high, protein in your urine, blood sugar being high those are things you cant just feel but those are things that can hurt u and ur baby so you should go as soon as possible the visits are only once a month until you get to the end and thats really no harm in going to make sure you do all that you can to bring your baby into the world

Answer 6

This is how I feel. I agree with your spouse only because its pure crazyness when you go to the doctor, all the mainly due is mointer you. I have 4 kids and if I could do it all over again I would.

If you take care of yourself (eating right, not drinking etc) there will be no problems, another reason they do blood work to see what is wrong with baby I look at it like this what are you going to do if the blood work comes back as something wrong? Are you just going to kill your baby cause of it?? NO.....

I went to a doctor where she said that the blood work came back all messed up and we need to abort my daughter cause she would have spinal bifadia (?) and cleft plattete etc I went with it carrying my child thinking she was going to have problems and that was ok.. When she was born NOTHING wrong with as healthy as they come 8yrs old today and still healthy the scary thing is if I listened to my doctor I would of have killed a healthy child.. ( I changed doctors and she still performs this way) but I am one who doesn't believe in doctors . The ONLY one that will help you and keep you healthy is god. THE ONLY one ....

Answer 7

What if you have a problem like a tubal pregnancy? What if the doctor detects multiple embryos that will need attention to keep healthy? What if you think the baby is not growing or moving enough and you are worried? What if the baby has a non-survivable deformity? what if you want to know whether to buy a pink or a blue outfit and whether to pick out girls' names or boys' names? What if he just went along with the idea just to put your mind at ease that nothing is wrong?

Tell him that if he ever thinks he is having a problem with anything in his male plumbing he should avoid going to the doctor until something falls off - would he think that is a great idea?

Answer 8

You most definitely should go. The process of having a baby begins the moment you conceive. This process needs to be medically monitored as the baby develops. Complications could arise that need to be detected early. With another life hanging in the balance, you do not wait until there is an emergency to go. Get to a doctor now.

Answer 9

You should go to make sure your baby is growing correctly and safely. If there is a problem with the baby, they might be able to correct in time before the baby is born. You could get high blood pressure, pregnancy related diabetes, you might have some infection, anything can happen. Plus, before the baby is born, they do a final sonagram to make sure the baby is in the right position. If it is in a wrong position, it could be life-threatening to you and the baby. Plus, how would you know if you had twins? Its very dangerous to deliver twins without doctor's help.

Answer 10

Seeing your OB/GYN doctor is important to you and your babies health. Your doctor can detect problems or assure you that everything is going as it should.

If your husband is saying this because of financial reasons? Seek out a free clinic.

Does he let you go out? Is he abusive, verbally or physically?

Why take a chance with your precious baby!

Check out March of Dimes.