First Prenatal Visit

The first prenatal visit sets the tone for the entire pregnancy. This episode walks through everything you'll need to cover – from confirming the pregnancy and dating ultrasound, to screening options, weight gain targets by BMI, food and medication safety, and exercise recommendations.

Show Outline:

• Initial Assessment – Planned/desired pregnancy, options counseling if needed, full exam/pelvic/Pap
• Ultrasound – Dating scan
• Screening Options – QUAD, Sequential, NIPS, invasive testing
• Weight Gain Targets by BMI
  • BMI <18.5: gain 28–40 lbs
  • BMI 18.5–24.9: gain 25–35 lbs
  • BMI 25–29.9: gain 15–25 lbs
  • BMI ≥30: gain 11–20 lbs
• Food Safety – Avoid unpasteurized dairy, large fish (swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna, etc.), uncooked meat/seafood, uncooked deli meat, alcohol
• Medications – Nothing unless cleared by MD. Tylenol okay if needed. PNV, Colace, FeSO4. NO NSAIDs!
• Exercise – Nothing that could leave a bruise on your belly! Moderate exercise is great.

About the Speaker:

Jennifer Doorey, MD, MS – Academic Ob/Gyn at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As the founder of MedReady, Dr. Doorey seeks to advance clinical medical education by developing resources for medical students and clinical educators.

Procedure Ready: Ob/Gyn is a podcast aimed at medical, PA, and NP students entering their clinical rotation in Ob/Gyn. The views expressed are the speaker's own and do not constitute medical advice.