What to expect when you're expecting by Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel Read Free Book Online Page B

recommended waiting period; not waiting long enough—or waiting too long—can affect the result.
It isn’t necessary to use your first-morning urine, but if you’re testing early (i.e., before your period is due), you’re more likely to get an accurate result if you haven’t peed in the past four hours (because your urine will contain more concentrated levels of hCG).
Watch for the control indicator (ranging from a horizontal or vertical line to a filled-in circle, or a flashing control symbol in the digital tests) to let you know that the test is working.
Look carefully—and before you leap to any conclusions. Any line you see (pink or blue, positive sign, or digital readout), no matter how faint it is (or no matter how faint you feel), means there’s hCG in your system—and a baby likely in your future. Congratulations—you’re pregnant! If the result isn’t positive, and your period still hasn’t arrived, consider waiting a few days and testing again. It may have just been too soon to call.
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Making the First Appointment

    “The home pregnancy test I just took came back positive. When should I schedule the first visit with my doctor?”
    Good prenatal care is one of the most important ingredients in making a healthy baby. So don’t delay. As soon as you suspect you might be pregnant or have a positive home pregnancy test result, call your practitioner to schedule an appointment. Just how soon you’ll be able to come in for that appointment may depend on office traffic and policy. Some practitioners will be able to fit you in right away, while some very busy offices may not be able to accommodate you for several weeks or even longer. At certain practitioners’ offices, it’s actually routine procedure to wait until a woman is six to eight weeks pregnant for that first official prenatal visit, though some offer a “pre-OB” visit to confirm a pregnancy as soon as you suspect you’re expecting (or have the positive HPT results to prove it).
    But even if your official prenatal care has to be postponed until midwaythrough the first trimester, that doesn’t mean you should put off taking care of yourself and your baby. Regardless of when you get in to see your practitioner, start acting pregnant as soon as you see that positive readout on the HPT. You’re probably familiar with many of the basics (take your prenatal vitamins, cut out alcohol and smoking, eat well, and so on), but don’t hesitate to call your practitioner’s office if you have specific questions about how best to get with the pregnancy program. You may even be able to pick up a pregnancy packet ahead of time (many offices provide one, with advice on everything from diet do’s and don’ts to prenatal vitamin recommendations to a list of medications you can safely take) to help fill in some of the blanks.
    In a low-risk pregnancy, having the first prenatal visit early on isn’t considered medically necessary, though the wait can be hard to take. If the waiting’s making you unreasonably anxious, or if you feel you may be a high-risk case (because of a history of miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, for instance), check with the office to see if you can come in earlier. (For more on what to expect from your first prenatal visit, see page 124 .)
Your Due Date

    “My practitioner has told me my due date, but how accurate is it?”
    Life would be a lot simpler if you could be certain that your due date is actually the day you will deliver, but life isn’t that simple very often. According to most studies, only 1 in 20 babies is actually born on his or her due date. Because a normal full-term pregnancy can last anywhere from 38 to 42 weeks, most are born within two weeks either way of that date—which keeps most parents guessing right up to delivery day.
    That’s why the medical term for “due date” is EDD, or
estimated
date of delivery. The date your practitioner gives you is only an educated estimate. It is usually calculated this