When do you start seeing doctor every 2 weeks

By the time you hit the third trimester (28 weeks through the end of pregnancy), you're probably anxious for the baby to arrive and want to get some much-needed rest while you can.

The good news is you'll meet with your doctor more frequently to check on the growth and development of your baby, so you'll have a better sense of when it might be "go" time. In the third trimester, you'll have a prenatal appointment every two weeks from 28 to 36 weeks, then you'll have a prenatal visit once a week during the last month until you deliver.

In some practices where multiple practitioners share the on-call pool, you may make your rounds to get to know everyone as your due date draws near. After all, there's a chance your doctor won't be available when you give birth.

What happens at your third trimester appointments?

Like your previous prenatal appointments, you can expect to get your blood pressure and weight checked. Some practices have you provide a urine sample to screen for protein, sugar, and infection. Your doctor will also evaluate the baby's heartbeat using a Doppler and measure the fundal height (the distance between your pubic bone and the top of your uterus). At this stage, the measurement should match the number of weeks you're pregnant. So, if you're 37 weeks, your fundal height should be around 37 centimeters.

If your baby is measuring too small or too big, your doctor may order a third trimester ultrasound to evaluate their growth and your amniotic fluid levels. And if you have a high-risk pregnancy, your doctor may also order a third trimester ultrasound to do a biophysical profile (BPP) test, where they'll examine your baby's movement and fluid level.

Your doctor may also order an ultrasound if they aren't sure about your baby's position from an abdominal exam. If it turns out your baby is breech, you may be offered an external cephalic version, which are maneuvers done to try to turn your baby into a vertex (head-down) position.

Past your due date? Your doctor may check your cervix to see if it's softening, effacing (thinning out), and dilating (opening). The cervical exam may give an idea of what method of induction of labor to use if it's needed. (If you do have a pelvic exam late in pregnancy, you might have a little spotting afterward.) Generally, practitioners won't do cervical checks unless they feel it's necessary, so if you're not comfortable, you can decline them.

You were screened to check whether you're Rh-negative during your first trimester. If it turns out you are Rh-negative, you will be given an injection of Rh immune globulin (sometimes called RhIg or RhoGAM) to prevent your body from producing antibodies for the last part of your pregnancy.

And as always, your doctor will also discuss results from previous tests and follow up on issues that were brought up at your last prenatal appointment.

Some questions you can expect from your practitioner are:

• How are you feeling?
• Do you feel any unusual pain and aches?
• Are you experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions, which are false labor pains?
• Are you having contractions?
• How often do you feel your baby move?
• Do you have any sudden swelling?
• How is your mood?
• Are you getting enough sleep at night?
• How is your diet?

Whether or not they ask, let your doctor know about any symptoms you're having, even if they seem like the usual fatigue, moodiness, or aches and pains.

Be sure to also let your doctor know if you notice your baby is less active than usual (they may ask you to count your baby's movements for a set period of time each day).

Inside pregnancy: Weeks 28 to 37

A 3D animated look at a baby in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Third trimester testing

Group B strep

Between 36 and 37 weeks, your practitioner will swab your vagina and rectum to check for a common infection called group B strep. If your test is positive, you'll be given antibiotics during labor to help keep you from passing it on to your baby.

(If you've had a group B strep urinary tract infection during this pregnancy, you won't need this test because even though the infection was treated, you'll automatically get antibiotics during labor. Likewise, you'll be automatically treated during labor if you've previously had a baby infected with group B strep.)

Gestational diabetes

If you were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor will continue to monitor your blood glucose levels and ensure that you're following a healthy diet and exercise routine. Your doctor may also order a third trimester ultrasound to check your baby's growth and development.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (very high blood pressure) usually develops during the third trimester. Some of the signs of preeclampsia are sudden swelling in the face and hands and protein in the urine. Most of the time, patients with preeclampsia have no symptoms and it's incidentally diagnosed in the office with new onset high blood pressure. If you're past 37 weeks of pregnancy, then your doctor may want to deliver your baby. But if you're not at 37 weeks, your doctor will order an ultrasound and heart rate monitoring to check your baby's well-being. In severe cases, your doctor may want to admit you to the hospital and consider delivering your baby early.

Twins and multiples

Carrying twins, triplets, and higher-order multiples is considered a high-risk pregnancy. Because you're at risk for preterm birth, you may need more frequent prenatal appointments, sometimes weekly. You'll also need more tests, including an ultrasound and/or non-stress test, which tracks your babies' heart rate for a period of time. If you're experiencing symptoms of preterm labor, such as contractions, vaginal spotting, and abdominal cramps, be sure to alert your doctor.

Placenta previa

If you were found to have placenta previa, which is what happens when the placenta partially or totally covers the cervix, you'll have a third trimester ultrasound to check whether the previa has resolved. If it hasn't, you'll most likely have a C-section to deliver your baby safely. Some women with placenta previa experience heavy bleeding, and in this case, your doctor may recommend a C-section to deliver your baby earlier. You'll most likely be given corticosteroids to help your baby's lungs develop faster if your delivery is scheduled before 37 weeks.

Additional tests

Your blood may be checked again for anemia, particularly if you were anemic earlier in your pregnancy.

If you're at risk for sexually transmitted infections, you'll be tested again for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV.

Vaccination

You should get the Tdap vaccine to help protect you and your baby from pertussis (whooping cough). Even if you've been vaccinated before, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend all pregnant women get a booster between 27 and 36 weeks.

If flu season is here or approaching, your practitioner should talk with you about the benefits of getting a flu shot if you haven't already had one. Your doctor will also talk to you about the COVID-19 vaccine, which helps protect you from the virus and lessens the severity of the illness if you become sick. Studies show that antibodies are also passed to the fetus.

Questions to ask your ob-gyn during your third trimester

Before your appointment, it's a good idea to write down any questions you may have for your doctor. This is also a great time to start thinking about your birth plan as well as what to expect postpartum. Here are some common questions you may want to ask:

• Where can I take childbirth classes?
• Where should I go if I'm in labor and ready to deliver?
• What are signs of labor that I should look out for?
• What happens if my water breaks or I go into labor in the middle of the night?
• What's the difference between my water breaking and leaking fluid/having discharge?
• How do Braxton-Hicks contractions feel, and how are they different from real labor contractions?
• How should I time my contractions?
• If my contractions are getting more intense and closer together, should I give you a call or head straight to the labor and delivery center?
• Will you be there throughout my labor or at my delivery?
• What exactly happens during delivery?
• How long should I expect to stay at the hospital?
• Does the hospital offer lactation support if I'm breastfeeding?
• Will the hospital reach out to my baby's pediatrician to transfer records after giving birth?
• When should I schedule a postpartum appointment?

Inside pregnancy: Weeks 28 to 37

A 3D animated look at a baby in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Remember to discuss postpartum considerations

Since you may not be in any shape to make important decisions right after delivery, now's the time to start talking about whether you want your baby boy circumcised, whether you plan to breastfeed, and what you'd like to do for contraception after you have your baby. (Of course, you can always change your mind between now and then.)

And if you haven't found a doctor for your baby, it's time to get started. Your practitioner can give you some names.

Finally, your practitioner may screen you for signs of depression during pregnancy. But don't wait to be asked. If you're feeling depressed or anxious, let your caregiver know. They can refer you to someone who can help.

They may also ask you about your support network at home after you've given birth and mention the signs of postpartum depression (PPD). It's helpful to know how to distinguish normal "baby blues" brought on by fatigue and hormones from true postpartum depression. If you think you may be suffering from depression or anxiety, it's important to get help immediately.

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