You just got a positive pregnancy test! Yay!! Congratulations!! But now what? What do you do next? Well, you’ll want to call your OBGYN and make a pregnancy confirmation appointment ASAP!
This is your first prenatal doctor’s visit! This post includes what to expect and what you’ll want to ask!
What to expect at your pregnancy confirmation appointment:
You’ve probably been to the OBGYN before this. But if you haven’t, this is what most rooms look like.
Just your average doctor’s office table and the table has stirrups that come out of it to put your feet up in for pelvic exams. But don’t worry, you most likely won’t be having one of those at this visit!
First, a nurse will get your height, weight, and blood pressure.
Then the nurse will ask you questions at your Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment.
-She’ll want to know the first day of your last period.
-She will ask if you are currently taking any medications and if you are allergic to any medications.
-She will probably ask if you’ve had any spotting (bleeding) or cramping.
Next, she will probably ask you to pee in a specimen cup.
Don’t worry about trying not to go to the bathroom until you get there, because you don’t have to pee much. It’s so they can do their own pregnancy test.
At my office, the exam room has a bathroom in it. Inside the bathroom is a basket of specimen cups with a sharpie next to it.
You will probably need to label your cup with your first and last name and date of birth before you turn it into them. But, your nurse will tell you what you are supposed to do, and where you should put it afterward.
Additional Tests during Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment
At some doctor’s appointments, they may also want you to do a blood test to check your hCG levels. hCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. It’s often called the pregnancy hormone.
The hormone is made by cells in the placenta, which then nourishes the fertilized egg. Your hCG levels should be doubling every 72 hours.
My doctor said my pregnancy test confirmed the hCG and a blood test was not needed for that appointment.
However, some doctors may want to also do a blood test. This doesn’t mean anything is wrong, they may just want a baseline to see where your levels are currently.
Your doctor may also take a blood test at this appointment, and then ask you to come back in for another blood test after 72 hours to compare your levels. This ensures your hCG levels are increasing steadily.
Will You Have an Ultrasound at This Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment? …Probably Not.
Since I have had a previous miscarriage, I was nervous at my appointment. My OBGYN said we could do the blood tests and compare levels in 72 hours if I wanted to. However, she said she was satisfied with the urine test alone.
I was only 5 and a half weeks pregnant at this appointment. I asked her about an early ultrasound since they are typically done at 8 weeks.
She said the reason you usually don’t get an ultrasound before 8 weeks is because it can be alarming when you don’t see much.
You don’t hear a heartbeat and you may only see a gestational sac. Which could cause you to worry when you don’t see any signs of a baby yet, although it is most likely just too early.
Ask Questions at Your Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment
This confirmation of pregnancy appointment is the time where you ask ALL THE QUESTIONS regarding your first trimester.
Even though I already have been through pregnancy with my first child, I still had a long list of questions. I forgot a lot from when I was pregnant with my first child.
Read below for some ideas of what you should ask!
Here is a List of Questions I asked at My Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment:
-I gave a list of the medications I had taken when I was pregnant and didn’t know it yet (before my missed period and before taking my at-home pregnancy test). Asking if they were cause for concern.
-I asked about prenatal vitamins. They make me so sick and hurt my stomach.
*I’ve tried several different kinds, taking half of one, taking it with food, and different times of the day. She told me it was fine for me to take Flintstone Vitamins instead. This is what I’m taking.
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-I asked about anxiety management. One of the medicines I was taking for panic attacks is not recommended for pregnancy.
We made a plan for how I was going to manage my anxiety through pregnancy. This included getting a referral for counseling to start ASAP. I wanted a safe place to talk about my fears of having 2 kids and my constant cycle of having anxiety over having anxiety.
-I asked for a list of over-the-counter medications that were pregnancy approved if I got sick. For example, if I had a headache, cold, fever, etc.
-I asked if she would prescribe me nausea medicine that didn’t cause drowsiness. I still had a toddler to take care of by myself during the day and I didn’t want to feel sluggish.
-Next, I asked for a list of foods that were NOT okay to eat during pregnancy. Which was in a handout she gave me.
-I asked about my face wash because the bottle says “consult a physician if breastfeeding or pregnant”.
-My doctor’s office has several locations, with one being closest to my house. However, that office is the smallest and doesn’t have an ultrasound tech working every day of the week.
I wanted to make sure that I only made future appointments on the days that there is an ultrasound tech present. Just in case they couldn’t find a heartbeat in the exam room and needed to do an ultrasound.
If that happened, I would be a wreck and consumed with fear driving to the next location for an ultrasound. So, if you also have a smaller office, you may want to ask which days an ultrasound tech is present.
-Finally, I asked which other midwives and doctors she would recommend me to see at future appointments. They alternate being on call and you never know who is going to be at the hospital when you go into labor.
So you might as well get to know all the doctors and midwives, and let them get to know you. Especially if they may be the ones delivering your baby.
However, I told her I wanted to see the most patient and loving of the doctors because I’m a hormonal mess. So she gave me a list of who she thought would be the best fit for me.
Overview of a Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment
This appointment was taking another pregnancy test like I already did at home, getting a prescription for nausea medicine, and asking lots of questions.
Some of my friends have skipped the confirmation of pregnancy appointment altogether and only made an appointment for 8 weeks.
Although I would suggest having this appointment to at least get information if it’s your first baby. Or, if you’re like me, and forget everything since your first pregnancy.
I also find comfort in going through my symptoms and verifying everything is normal. Like cramping: cramping can be a sign of miscarriage but also can be normal. So, explaining the pain to my doctor and the location of it made me feel better.
In Conclusion of My Pregnancy Confirmation Appointment
Congratulations on your sweet little baby! I know it can be exciting and terrifying at the same time!
Try to relax the best you can while first-trimester nausea and exhaustion are at their peak. It should get better once your hCG hormones level out around the second trimester.
Don’t be nervous about your pregnancy confirmation appointment! It will be one of your easiest of all your baby appointments because there most likely won’t be any blood work, pelvic exams, or vaginal ultrasounds.
For me, it was just a lot of talking, which made me feel more at peace and settled my anxiety. I hope it is calming and comforting for you too!
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