Prenatal Care

During your prenatal visits, you’ll have various tests. These tests allow your care team to monitor your health and your baby’s health. You can expect these and possibly others:

• Prenatal ultrasounds
• Glucose tolerance test
• Prenatal genetic testing

If you or your baby has a health concern, your prenatal provider will refer you to our maternal-fetal medicine team. They provide specialty pregnancy care, including advanced fetal diagnostic testing.

Even if you’ve been pregnant before, no two pregnancies are exactly the same. It’s good to have a general idea of what to expect while you’re pregnant. You may or may not experience these symptoms:

If you notice any of these changes or have concerns, speak with your prenatal care team.

Staying Healthy During Your Pregnancy

It’s important for you — and for your baby’s health — to keep your body and mind healthy while you’re pregnant. Here are some ways to stay healthy:

• Aim for a healthy weight gain.
• Do Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor.
• Eat a nutritious, balanced diet.
• Get regular exercise.
• Maintain good posture to prevent backaches.

For more information on all of these topics, download our Staying Fit information sheet.

You may need a higher level of care during pregnancy and delivery, depending on a number of factors:

• Pre-pregnancy health, including preexisting health conditions
• Prenatal test results
• Conditions that can begin during pregnancy

BIDMC's multidisciplinary team of obstetric, maternal-fetal and neonatal experts offer the highest quality care and support. Our advanced, specialized care settings are ready to provide you and your baby with world-class care for any issues that arise.

If you need to spend time in the hospital during pregnancy, our inpatient care team is here to provide you with all the services you need.

Managing your mental health and stress levels is an important aspect of prenatal care. BIDMC offers supportive services and resources during pregnancy and beyond:

• Maternal mental health and substance use support
• Ob/Gyn social workers
• Miscarriage support
• Violence prevention and intervention services
• Postpartum mental health services

BIDMC offers classes and support for families who want to learn more about these and other topics:

We support all of our patients who choose to work with doulas. You may decide to have a doula during pregnancy and birth—a professional trained to provide emotional, physical, and informational support. To learn more about doulas as part of our care team, visit the Supportive Birth Collective.

Please don’t take any medication that is not on this list unless your provider has approved it. In some cases, we provide common brand names in parentheses. It’s OK to use generic versions or other brands with the same active ingredient in the medication.

• Heartburn: Famotidine (Pepcid), Maalox, Mylanta, Tums, Rolaids
• Headache and pain remedies: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) only
• Constipation: Docusate sodium (Colace), fiber laxatives (Metamucil)
• Vitamins: Prenatal vitamins in the recommended dose — do not take additional vitamins or supplements unless your prenatal provider prescribes them
• Colds: Any brand of cough drop or saline nasal spray, along with certain cough and cold remedies during the first and second trimesters

Please call your provider’s office for advice about a particular product. You should avoid some cold remedies, especially in the third trimester.

Please call any time you have a question or concern. One of our team members is always available by phone. Have your provider's phone number close at hand throughout your pregnancy so you can reach them when needed.

In addition, please call your doctor or nurse if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Bleeding from your vagina
• Discharge from the vagina that smells bad, itches or causes pain
• Feeling extremely sad or hopeless
• Feeling unsafe
• Fever of more than 100º F
• Pain or burning on urination
• Pain in the lower abdomen
• Possible exposure to a contagious disease
• Severe headache not relieved by Tylenol (acetaminophen)
• Severe nausea and vomiting (not able to keep anything down for a whole day)
• Take a fall, or if you’ve been in a motor vehicle accident

Download and print the above list to keep on-hand throughout your pregnancy.

When to Call Your Provider About Signs of Labor

We understand that whether or not this is your first baby, the right time to call about coming to the hospital may seem unclear. These guidelines can help you decide. In some cases, your doctor will give you more personal instructions.

What is Normal?

These are normal, and there’s no need to call your provider:

• Contractions that are irregular at the end of pregnancy
• A mucousy or bloody show (discharge) up to several days before the onset of true labor

If It's Your First Baby

Call your prenatal provider right away if these occur:

• Your water breaks
• Contractions are regular, meaning they occur every five minutes and last about 45 to 60 seconds for a full hour
• Contractions are strong and require effort in coping, meaning you have difficulty reading, having a conversation or performing tasks because of the discomfort

Before 24 Weeks

Call your prenatal provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• Bleeding
• Ruptured membranes or leakage of fluid vaginally
• Fever over 100°F that persists even after taking Tylenol (acetaminophen)
• Severe or prolonged abdominal pain
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Feeling threatened or being harmed either physically or sexually

24 to 37 Weeks

Call your prenatal provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• More than four contractions in a one-hour period
• A decrease in your baby’s normal fetal movements, or fewer than 10 movements in 2 hours
• Unusual, severe or prolonged headache
• Changes in vision, such as blurred or partial vision
• Bleeding
• Ruptured membranes or leakage of fluid vaginally
• Fever over 100°F
• Abdominal pain that is severe or prolonged
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
• Feeling threatened or being harmed either physically or sexually

After 37 Weeks

Call your prenatal provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• Heavy bleeding that soaks a pad (light bleeding or spotting is normal after vaginal exams)
• Regular, painful contractions at five minutes apart that persist for an hour
• Ruptured membranes or leakage of fluid vaginally
• Severe abdominal pain
• A decrease in your baby’s normal fetal movements, or less than 10 movements in 2 hours
• Fever over 100°F
• Unusual, severe or prolonged headache 
• Changes in vision, such as blurred or partial vision
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea

Feeling threatened or being harmed either physically or sexually