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Posts for: January, 2022

What is a prenatal appointment?
Prenatal visits are routine checkups that you’ll have with your OBGYN throughout the course of your pregnancy. As your pregnancy progresses, you will see your OBGYN more regularly until you’re coming in every week for checkups (this occurs in the last few weeks of pregnancy). These checkups are important for both you and your child. The first prenatal visit should occur around the 8-week mark.
You’ll visit your OBGYN every month for the first 28 weeks, then every two weeks from the 28th to the 36th week, then weekly from the 36th week to the 40th week. We provide screenings, preventive care, and advice to pregnant women to help them maintain healthy pregnancies.
Why are prenatal appointments important?
Here are some of the reasons why pregnant women should never skip out on their prenatal appointments:
- Your OBGYN can dispense helpful advice to help maintain good health throughout your pregnancy, whether it’s advice on what you can eat (and what foods to avoid) and how to incorporate safe but effective exercises into your routine.
- These checkups also allow moms a chance to learn more about the pregnancy, delivery, and childbirth process, asking any questions they might have and having their concerns addressed by a medical professional.
- Your OBGYN can determine certain risk factors such as advanced maternal age and determine if there are additional steps you need to take or testing you should undergo to keep you and your unborn child safe.
- Your OBGYN can also spot certain health problems in the mother such as gestational diabetes and provide immediate treatment to prevent complications.
- During these checkups, your OBGYN can also spot developmental problems in the fetus early on and provide the appropriate interventions.
While you are pregnant, an OBGYN is going to be an incredible asset and tool for making sure that you have a healthy, safe pregnancy. If you just got a positive pregnancy test, call your OBGYN to schedule your first prenatal visit.

Who should get the HPV vaccine?
Most gynecologists will recommend that preteens get the HPV vaccine around 11-12 years old; however, children as young as nine years old can get vaccinated. The vaccine is for teens and young adults between the ages of nine and 26 years old.
How is the HPV vaccine administered?
There are several doses that you will need to be fully vaccinated against certain strains of HPV. If getting the vaccine at 11-12 years old or before their 15th birthday, only two doses are needed. The first dose will be administered then. The second dose will be administered 6-12 months apart. If your teenager decides to get the vaccine between the ages of 15 to 26 years old, they will require three doses.
While the HPV vaccine is not recommended for adults over 26 years old, you may want to speak with your OBGYN about your risk factors to determine if you could still benefit from getting vaccinated. In some instances, the HPV vaccine may actually benefit you later in life.
When should someone not get the HPV vaccine?
If you are currently pregnant, you have an allergy to any of the ingredients in the HPV vaccine or you have a yeast allergy, then you should not get the HPV vaccine. Otherwise, this vaccine is safe for all children and teens.
How effective is the HPV vaccine?
There are three different types of HPV vaccines that have been approved by the FDA and they all protect against the nine HPV types that can cause cervical cancer. Studies have found that the efficacy of the vaccine can last up to 12 years or, possibly, longer. There are also significantly fewer women and teenage girls presenting with HPV since the vaccines were first approved in 2006.
Are you interested in learning more about the HPV vaccine? Want to talk with a gynecologist about whether the vaccine is right for you or your teenager? If so, call a gynecologist today to schedule a consultation.