Getting early and regular prenatal care is important for both you and the developing baby. Your health care professional may discuss many issues, such as nutrition and physical activity, what to expect during the birth process, and basic skills for caring for your newborn.

You will be given a schedule for your prenatal visits. You can expect to see your health care provider more often as your due date gets closer. A typical schedule includes visiting your provider:

• about once each month during your first six months of pregnancy
• every two weeks during the seventh and eighth month of pregnancy
• weekly in the ninth month of pregnancy
• if you are over 35 years old or your pregnancy is high risk because you have certain health problems like diabetes or high blood pressure, your doctor will probably want to see you more often. Your health care professional may also suggest prenatal testing.