Pregnancy Specialist

What is prenatal care?

Prenatal care consists of all the visits you pay to your OB/GYN team during your pregnancy. When you come into Beach Obstetrics and Gynecology Medical Group for your first prenatal care visit, your team starts by getting to know you and your health history, and by running some tests. 

Some of the things they learn include:

• Your routine vitals
• Your family history
• Your health history
• Your height and weight
• Your blood type

They also take time to ask you if you have any concerns or anxieties about the pregnancy that you’d like to discuss.

Next, they run screenings and tests such as:

• Hepatitis screening
• Rubella screening
• HIV screening
• Rh factor blood test
• Syphilis screening
• Cystic fibrosis carrier screening 

After your prenatal team gathers all of this information, it’s time to learn your due date, and if you’re far enough along, see your baby via ultrasound.

Your visit concludes with a discussion between you and your doctor about the steps you need to take to ensure you have a healthy pregnancy (what you should eat, what supplements you should take, etc.).

How often should I visit the practice for prenatal care?

To make sure your pregnancy goes well and you and your baby are healthy, you need to regularly visit your team at Beach Obstetrics and Gynecology for checkups. Typically, doctors space out prenatal visits as follows:

• Every four to six weeks during the first 32 weeks
• Every two to three weeks during the 32nd to 37th weeks
• Every week from the 37th week until you go into labor

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you’ll likely need to check in more often.

What is a cesarean section?

A cesarean section, also known as a C-section, is a surgical procedure your doctor may perform to deliver your baby if it:

• Has moved itself into an abnormal position
• Is in distress
• Is sharing the womb with two or more siblings

You may also need a C-section if you have:

• A brain or heart condition
• An active infection
• Had a C-section in the past
• Something blocking the birth canal, like a large fibroid

C-sections additionally come into play if your placenta is blocking the opening to your cervix, or if you’re umbilical cord has prolapsed.

During a C-section, your doctor cuts an incision into your uterus and abdomen, and delivers your baby via this opening, instead of the birth canal. 

Pregnancy is thrilling, scary, and life-changing, all at once. Invest in you and your child’s journey by trusting your care, from your first visit to the delivery, to the caring experts at Beach Obstetrics and Gynecology. Book your appointment online or over the phone today.

VBAC

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that most women should be offered a trial of labor after a previous Cesarean Delivery. We believe that if a patient is aware of the pros and cons and acceptable risks of a trial of labor, we support women's decision to have a VBAC. In the last five years at Hoag Hospital, Dr. Illeck had the most VBACs, with a success rate of about 80%.

In house ultrasounds

We utilize a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. Our ultrasound tech is certified in Nuchal Translucency and has continued education in high risk pregnancies. We utilize a new generation 3 -4D ultrasound for both obstetrics and gynecology. Our ultrasound can also provide 3 D images of your growing baby.