What to expect at your antenatal appointments
Kylie Matthews
So you’re pregnant! Congratulations! Now what? If you’re feeling apprehensive or in the dark about what to expect at your antenatal appointments, read this handy guide.
What to expect at your antenatal appointments
What are antenatal appointments for?
During your pregnancy, it’s important to go to regular appointments with your doctor or midwife. These are called antenatal appointments (antenatal means ‘before birth’) and they’re for checking your health and the health and development of your baby [1].
Antenatal appointments are a chance to look at information about your health and pregnancy with your doctor or midwife and make decisions about your pregnancy care. This might include decisions about screening tests and where you’ll give birth. Some of these appointments and tests need to happen at certain times in pregnancy [2].
National antenatal care guidelines from the Australian Government Department of Health are designed to support Australian maternity services to provide high-quality, evidence-based antenatal care to healthy pregnant women. The guidelines are intended as a standard reference for health professionals who contribute to antenatal care and its recommendations cover a wide range of care including routine physical examinations, screening tests and social and lifestyle advice for women with an uncomplicated pregnancy [3].
