Virginia Introduction Prenatal consultations are the series of visits starting very early in pregnancy during which your doctor asks you many questions, examines you and obtains laboratory and other tests. Additionally, your doctor educates you and answers questions, all in an effort to promote the health of you and your baby and prepare you for labor and delivery. You may want to discuss the questions at the end of this summary with your physician during your initial prenatal visit. There are many advantages to visiting your doctor for a complete medical history and physical exam if you are just planning a pregnancy. Your doctor may have suggestions regarding your general health and fitness before you become pregnant.
Conception occurs when the father's sperm fertilizes the mother's egg.
After several days, implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus proceeds. During the next several weeks, most of the major organs of the baby develop. The estimated due date is typically 40 weeks from the woman's last menstrual period. Therefore, the estimated date of delivery is actually 38 weeks from the date of conception. Most physicians prefer to keep track of pregnancy in terms of weeks rather than months.