What Happens at Prenatal Care Appointments

By Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE, About.com Guide

At 40 or 41 weeks of pregnancy you may begin to see your midwife or doctor every few days. Here is what a prenatal appointment may look like:

• Record your weight
• Urine sample to screen for sugar and protein
• Listen for baby's heart beat
• Measure your fundal height to check baby's growth
• Palpate to check baby's position (vertex, breech, posterior, etc.)
• Questions about baby's movements
• Check your blood pressure

Since you are officially past your due date, your midwife or doctor may want to watch you and your baby more carefully until labor begins. This may include the following tests:

• Non-stress test (NST)
• Bio Physical Profile (BPP)

These tests will help determine if your practitioner needs to intervene with an induction of labor for the health of your baby or let your pregnancy continue.