UPMC WomanCare Associates

Re: UPMC WomanCare Associates

• doula_amy

  September 2009

  Most care providers see you between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy.  Usually the don't do a whole lot at your first appointment.  If you are closer to 12 weeks they will try to listen to the baby with a doppler but usually 9-10 weeks is the earliest they can hear it and even then it can be very difficult to find.  They will discuss your gyne history and most likely do a pap smear and check the size of your uterus and will order your prenatal bloodwork for you.  They may not do a pap if you just had one in July if it was normal.  Sometimes if there is a question about when you conceived they will order and early ultrasound to help date the pregnancy.  Congratulations on your pregnancy.

   Amy

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• triana00

  September 2009

  Thanks Amy.  I did have a pap in July that was normal.  I was charting my BBT and using OPKs, so I know when I ovulated.  Even with my looong cycles (44+ days), I still pretty much know when conception took place. 

   

   

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• doula_amy

  September 2009

  Keep in mind that most care providers will base your due date on a 28 day cycle so be very sure that you stress to them that you know when you conceived/ovulated or your due date could be very off.  This could lead to an early induction before you would really be full term.

   Amy

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• triana00

  September 2009

  Thanks again, Amy.  I knew I was having the long cycles when I went to this office for the first time, so that is, or should be, noted in my charts.  I will take my temping chart to my first visit so I can "prove" when ovulation was. 

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• doula_amy

  September 2009

  No problem.  I hope your first visit goes well.

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• triana00

  September 2009

  Thanks, I scheduled today.  It's October 12 with the nurse practitioner.  They said they wanted to see me between 6-8 weeks and I'll be 6 weeks and 5 days at that point.

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• KellyD01 member

  October 2009

  I do want to throw out that I used UPMC Fox Chapel for gyn, and the beginning of my pregnancy. I never had a problem with them until I was pregnant. My prenatal appts went something like this, go in, pee in the cup, meet w/ the nurse for weight and bp, into the exam room, doc comes in does exam in 2.5 minutes or less, I try to ask a few questions, doc answers first and maybe second questions halfway in the hallway as they were on their way to the next patient, sends another nurse in w/ the doppler for the heartbeat.

   First appt was actually good, spent more time with the doc going over what to expect, but it was down hill from there. I truly hope it was just that office. I switched care providers at 26 weeks because I couldn't take being treated like a number anymore. I just wanted to let you know that so that if it happens to you, you know you can look for another care provider asap.

   Good Luck!! 

  
  

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• triana00

  October 2009

  Well, it was uneventful.  Peed in the cup, took height and weight, talked to the nurse practioner, got my packet of info, and then she did the internal exam.  Said my cervix looked pregnant and my uterus felt good.  I go back at 10 weeks and they will try and find the heartbeat.

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• KellyD01 member

  October 2009

  Please don't be alarmed IF they can't find it at 10 weeks. The baby can be hiding behind things making it difficult to detect hb until as late as 14 weeks w/ doppler. They couldn't find DS's hb at 12 weeks, so sent me for an u/s so i wouldn't be freaking out. If I hadn't been prepared w/ the knowledge that they may not find it it would have been devastating.

  
  

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