Prenatal Care in Las Vegas, NV

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Start your pregnancy with prenatal care at Essential Women's Health Associates in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV. With two facilities, you will receive your prenatal care from select board-certified and board-eligible OBGYNs. Our practitioners are highly experienced in all aspects of women's health, including prenatal care. 

Essential Women's Health Associates is a wonderful practice to trust with your pregnancy. Your initial appointment will be with one of our practitioners to confirm your pregnancy with a blood test. We will also gather information about your medical history and the father's medical history. You can expect to have a pelvic exam with a collection of cultures. Once the pregnancy is confirmed, you will return to our office about every four weeks for the first and second trimester unless indicated otherwise by your OBGYN. When it gets close to your due date, appointments are scheduled every two weeks. At each prenatal visit, you will be weighed, have your blood pressure taken, asked to give a urine specimen, and asked questions about any problems you are experiencing. Reach out to our Las Vegas or Henderson office to begin your prenatal care today.

Prenatal care is essential for all pregnant individuals to ensure a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery. Any person who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant can benefit from prenatal care. Regular prenatal check-ups with our team at Essential Women's Health Associates are crucial for monitoring the health of both the mother and the developing fetus. Prenatal care allows early detection and management of potential complications, as well as provides guidance on nutrition, exercise, and overall well-being during pregnancy. By seeking prenatal care, pregnant individuals can receive the necessary support and medical attention to optimize their health and the health of their unborn child.

We can evaluate your pregnancy with prenatal testing that can screen for abnormalities, birth defects, or congenital disorders like Down syndrome. We can also detect alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Trisomy 18, and neural tube defects. Women who have a high-risk pregnancy or are older than 35 years old should consider having prenatal testing as their babies are more at risk for birth defects.

Amniocentesis
By carefully drawing amniotic fluid from your uterus, we can test for genetic conditions, cystic fibrosis, and neural tube birth defects, which deviates the normal development of the brain and/or spinal cord. We can order this test after your 15th week of pregnancy.

Fetal ultrasound
With a specialized fetal ultrasound, we take images with high-frequency sound waves to make diagnostic images of your growing fetus to check for abnormalities in its early development. Also, we can provide an ultrasound to determine the length of your cervix. A shortened cervix can be an indicator of early labor.

Diagnostic lab tests
We will collect blood and urine at your appointments to test for infectious diseases, urinary tract infections, gestational diabetes, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) quad screen, and Trisomy 18 (extra chromosome).

Group B strep test
The group B strep test can be performed during a pelvic exam or on its own. Your OBGYN will swab inside of your rectum and vagina to collect a sample to be tested for the bacteria found in group B strep.

Fetal heart monitoring
There are biophysical profiles, like ultrasounds and fetal heart rate monitoring, we can evaluate to give you an update on how your baby is doing in the womb. 

These tests may not be necessary for your pregnancy, but we want you to know that we offer them at our practice.

At every prenatal and pregnancy visit at Essential Women's Health Associates, we will measure your weight, check your blood pressure, and analyze your urine. We can also listen to your baby's heartbeat at each appointment as well. After that very first visit where we performed your prenatal testing, blood work, and urinalysis, we will review the results in the second visit. Your OBGYN will also talk to you about your first trimester screenings, scheduling an ultrasound, and decide if extra testing is necessary.

Remember that your OBGYN at Essential Women's Health Associates is your resource for prenatal information and what you need to know about how to properly care for your body with a baby.

In weeks 18 – 20, you can schedule an ultrasound where we will be able to see details of your baby's anatomy (including finding out the baby's gender). Around week 24, you will have a gestational diabetes glucose test that can take an hour. In week 28, we will screen you for anemia and an antibody test if you are Rh-negative. At 30 – 34 weeks, your appointments will be scheduled more frequently to every two weeks. We will repeat some of the prenatal tests and culture collections in week 36. Also, this is the week we can gather a cervical culture for group B strep testing and start weekly check-ins. At 39 weeks along, your OBGYN will do a cervical exam. Talks of induction may begin at the 39-week mark.

Why is prenatal care important?
Prenatal care is crucial for monitoring the health of both the mother and the developing fetus, detecting any potential complications early, and ensuring proper guidance on nutrition, exercise, and overall well-being during pregnancy.

When should I start prenatal care?
Ideally, prenatal care should begin as soon as you know you are pregnant or even before conception. Early prenatal visits allow our team to establish a baseline and offer essential advice for a healthy pregnancy.

How often should I have prenatal check-ups?
Typically, prenatal check-ups are scheduled monthly during the first two trimesters, every two weeks in the third trimester, and weekly as the due date approaches.

You can call Essential Women's Health Associates to schedule an appointment or book online. Schedule your first prenatal visit today. We will give you information on how to care for yourself during your pregnancy at our Las Vegas or Henderson, NV offices. Our board-certified or board-eligible OBGYNs are a wonderful resource for you during your pregnancy, from day one to delivery.