Obstetrician Versus Perinatologist...A Guide To Choosing The Most Appropriate Provider For Your Prenatal Care
When the home pregnancy test shows a positive result and your impending motherhood has been verified by your physician, your next step is usually to find a doctor to provide the appropriate medical care for you until you give birth. While it is easy to assume that you will be getting your prenatal care from an obstetrician, the truth is that there are numerous reasons that some expectant mothers need to see a perinatologist.Therefore, it is a good idea to consider the following information when you need to know that you are getting the best and most appropriate prenatal care for the duration of your pregnancy.
Seeing An Obstetrician
It is important to note that since 1970, the average age to give birth for the first time in the United States was 21.4. and as of 2013, that number was 26. In 2014, not quite 34 out of 1,000 live births involved twins and only 113.5 out of 100,000 live births were of triplets or higher-order multiples. Therefore, it is easy to see that two of the more common factors that could cause expectant mothers to be diagnosed with a higher -risk pregnancy are not applicablele to most pregnant women. If your current pregnancy is your first and both you and the baby are healthy or your other pregnancies were free of complications, without any of the high-risk factors explained above, you will usually only need to see an obstetrician.
However, it will be useful to remember that if you develop a problem like high blood pressure, diabetes or if tests suggest that your baby has a health challenge, you may be referred to a perinatologist at any time during your pregnancy. Otherwise, it is typically recommended that you see your OB for the first time at about 8 weeks and monthly after that until you reach 28 weeks. From then until about 36 weeks, you will probably see your obstetrician every 2 weeks and then weekly for the last 4 weeks of your pregnancy. Your first visit will involve extensive urine and blood tests, a physical exam and a sonogram if there is a question about how far along you are. Future visits will include urine and blood tests, screenings for gestational diabetes, additional ultrasounds and regular physical exams. If warranted, the use of an amniocentesis or similar tests may be suggested.
Given that the majority of women in the U.S. have low-risk and healthy pregnancies and deliver babies at or near full-term, you are likely to have the same experience.
Prenatal Care From A Perinatologist
If your primary physician or obstetrician has suggested that you see a perinatologist, it is important to understand why. Specifically, a perinatologist provides care for women who are more likely to experience issues with their pregnancies.
Common reasons to see a perinatologist include:
-
Problems in previous pregnancies, including multiple miscarriages, pre-term labors or premature births
-
Advanced maternal age (over 35)
-
New or existing maternal health problems
-
Being pregnant with twins or higher-order multiples
You may see a perinatologist more often throughout your pregnancy than you would otherwise and you may need to undergo more tests as well. In some cases, you may see both an OB and a perinatologist and the two physicians will probably consult on determining a health care plan for your pregnancy.
In conclusion, an obstetrician is likely to provide prenatal care to women who are expected to have a healthy and low-risk pregnancy, while a perinatologist is more likely to oversee the care of a high-risk mother-to-be. Since you need to know that you are getting the necessary medical care during your pregnancy, you should be aware of the information provided above.
Share