Finding a women’s health provider to support you through your pregnancy is essential for your peace of mind. The team of experienced women’s health providers at Poplar Avenue Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee, offers pregnancy care services for every stage of your pregnancy, from confirming you’re pregnant to delivering your baby. Find out more or schedule a consultation today. Call the practice or book online through the patient portal.
Pregnancy is the development of a fetus inside a uterus. A full-term pregnancy officially lasts 40 weeks, although any baby born between 39 and 42 weeks is still term. Babies born earlier than 39 weeks are preterm. Pregnancy has distinct early signs, including:
If you could be pregnant, take a home pregnancy test, which you can purchase from any pharmacy. Poplar Avenue Clinic offers pregnancy testing, too.
Pregnancy is broken down into three trimesters, each lasting around 12 weeks. These stages reflect the baby’s development and significant milestones. Your pregnancy care needs change at each stage.
First trimester: 1-12 weeks
In the early weeks of pregnancy, your hormone levels increase significantly, causing all kinds of changes in your body. You have at least one, sometimes two, ultrasound scans: one to date your pregnancy if you’re unsure, and a 12-week scan to check your and your baby’s health and to screen for potential genetic disorders.
Second trimester: 13-28 weeks
For many, the second trimester is their favorite. Your hormones settle, and you begin to feel like yourself again. Two big events occur during this trimester. You’ll start to feel your baby kick between 16 and 20 weeks — it varies for everyone. And between 18 and 20 weeks, you have your second-trimester screening to assess fetal development and activity and check for abnormalities. Unless you have a high-risk pregnancy, you’ll usually have checkups every four weeks.
Third trimester
Toward the end of pregnancy, your doctor visits increase to every two weeks and then once a week at the very end. It’s common to feel more tired and uncomfortable as the baby gets larger. Your doctor also keeps an eye on your blood pressure.
Your relationship with your doctor is key to ensuring your pregnancy is as safe and controlled as possible.
Your pregnancy care during labor and delivery depends on whether your pregnancy is high-risk. Unless there are health risks, you can choose your type of delivery and deliver at a hospital, a birthing center, or at home.
The medical team at Poplar Avenue Clinic provides pregnancy care for every trimester. If you’re pregnant or think you might be, call the office today or book an appointment through the patient portal.
