How much contact do you need with the Dr/midwife etc during pregnancy?

[RubyRoseRed]

Obviously I know everyone and every pregnancy is different but I was wondering if anyone could give me a general rough idea of how often you should go to the doctors for check ups and scan etc during a "normal" pregnancy?

I ask because we are currently ttc our first but have plans to be travelling a lot during the next year and starting to worry about being away from medical care and missing vital checks. Right now I am about 300 miles from my registered GP.

I am aware this sounds a bit odd but I am trying not to out myself by giving out too much info...

Cheers

It varies, but I had the following:

BFP - telephone apt with GP who advised to book MW apt at 8 weeks
8 wks - MW booking apt
12 wks - scan and further MW apt
13 wks - (private nuchal scan)
16 wks - MW apt
20 wks - scan and further MW apt, plus consultant apt due to slightly high BMI, referred for glucose tolerance test
24 wks - MW apt
28 wks - GTT
30 wks - MW apt
33 wks - MW apt (I think this was meant to be at 32 wks but Christmas got in the way)
34 wks - MW apt

Then I don't know from there but I assume 36 weeks, 38 weeks and 40 weeks unless I have complications or deliver before then.

So I reckon really if there are no issues, then the first 6 months are quite hands off, and then a lot more frequent appointments. None of my MW apts have been 'vital' in that nothing would have happened if I missed them, but they are for ongoing monitoring and to help them spot any issues early, so they are important in that sense. I wouldn't have thought it was that important though if appointments slipped by a week or two either way to accommodate other plans.

D

from my preg notes (these are generic):

8 wks - booking
12 wks - dating scans, nuchal fold test and blood tests
16 wks - ante natal visit (MW)
20 wks - anomaly scan
25 wks - MW
28 wks - blood tests, glucose tolerance test
31 wks - MW
34 wks - MW
36 wks - MW
38 wks - MW
40 wks - MW

There are official printed guidelines on this. I had a copy at the back of my pg notes folder.

Thanks so much for the replies. I realise that when/if I do become pregnant I will get all this info but we have really just started ttc and it has been playing on my mind with our travelling plans coming up.

Ruby is the travel work/obligation or do you just have lots of fab holidays planned?

Just a little reminder not to under-estimate how much pregnancy might affect how you feel, and your ability to cope with a demanding travel schedule. Fatigue, nausea, etc. are the basic ones but can still affect your ability to handle things. I have also had reduced mobility due to SPD.

Obviously not everyone gets lots of symptoms, I just wanted to point that out.

Also consider travel insurance for pregnancy. Most annual policies cover you automatically up to a certain number of weeks (it was 22 on mine), but after that it is a medical condition that you have to declare.

Sorry, I don't mean to be all negative and doom & gloom, just wanted to point out that making appointments isn't the only/main thing to consider (which I am sure you know!).

D

what Delia says also:

bear in mind the timing of ultrasound scans.

If you decide to have a nuchal scan, (to look for indicators of Down syndrome) this must be carried out between 11 weeks and 13+6 weeks to be accurate.

you will also have an anomaly scan at around 20 weeks.

depending on how busy your hospital is, they may have limited availability for scan dates so I would suggest making the appointments for your scans as soon as you can, to ensure you can fit in travel plans.

timings for other antenatal checkups could be more flexible, but again some midwives seem to have very full diaries and limited dates for clinics.

Thanks Deliaskis

We are part way through a trip that we have been planning for a while, we set off in the Spring and should be finished by the Autumn, and as things are currently (we are not pikeys honestly) we have no fixed abode right now (house rented out). We could and would change our plans if I needed extra care or felt I was not coping but I just wanted to get my head around what was needed even if all went well.

x post...thanks PinkElephant also

I am concerned that as I am living basically as a traveller I will find it difficult to register with any hospital. My last registered DR was on a visiting basis.....

Going to have to do some more research!!

What to "ACTUAL" travellers, as in gypsies, do?!

"ACTUAL" travellers get priority treatment anyway so I wouldn't worry too much about that.