Questions to ask at your first prenatal appointment
Your very first prenatal appointment is here — you must be excited! With so much going on, it helps to have a list of pregnancy questions on hand to ask your healthcare provider.
Checklist
- Ask about any risk of health problems or complications.
- Ask about any upcoming screenings.
- Ask about your pregnancy diet. What to eat and what to avoid.
- Ask about pregnancy exercises on allowed exercises and how often you should do.
- Ask about sex during pregnancy.
- Ask about travelling during pregnancy.
- Ask about beauty products. There may be things to avoid.
- Ask about sun safety during pregnancy.
- Ask about medications while pregnant. Show a list of any you are taking as there could be a few no-no’s.
- Ask about the best antenatal vitamins and supplements.
- Ask about antenatal classes. When do they start and where?
- Ask about pregnancy weight gain. What to expect on the scales and when?
- Ask about gestational diabetes (GDM).
- Ask about safe sleeping positions.
- Ask about common pregnancy symptoms and which ones call for medical attention.
- Ask about your birthing plan and when to start it.
- Ask about delivery options.
- Ask about pelvic floor exercises.
- Ask about a maternity certificate, for when you go on maternity leave, depending on where you live. Find out what you’ll need to do when it comes to organising maternity leave and maternity pay with our handy checklist.
- Ask about booking in your 12-week scan. See our checklist of Questions to ask at your 12-week scan to get prepared.
Related articles
Pregnancy: The Start of Loving and Protecting
The moment you know another being is growing inside your body, your maternal instincts are awakened.
Danial Ahmad, Author
4 mins to read
18-Week pregnant: Development and Diet
Lots of leaps and bounds happening in week 18, from nerve cells multiplying to the beginnings of fingerprints. Read more about this week.
3 mins to read
5 ways to reduce your child’s chances of having allergies
Find out how breastfeeding from birth and beyond and taking certain probiotics may also help reduce your child’s allergy risks
Shen-Li Tan
5 mins to read
Pregnancy Symptoms Week By Week: Week 26 - 40
You’re almost there! This is the part where you’re really getting in the mood for motherhood.
5 mins to read
31-Week pregnant: Development and diet
As D-Day fast approaches, your little one will soon be moving into position for birth. How clever! But you already knew that. Read more about this week.
Danial Ahmad, Author
2 mins to read
12-Week pregnant: Development and diet
You’re coming to the end of your first trimester. Congratulations! Read more about this week.
3 mins to read
Your hospital bag checklist
Not sure what to pack in your hospital bag? We have put together a simple hospital bag checklist with all the essentials. Forget packing light, it’s about packing right.
Danial Ahmad, Author
3 mins to read
Good Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy
Discover pregnancy tips and advice on proper nutrition throughout the trimesters.
1 min to read
25-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Two more weeks left of the second trimester. You are gearing up for the home stretch. Read more about how to help feed it.
2 mins to read
6-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your child’s growth is in overdrive right about now. So many exciting developments on such a tiny little being! Read more about this week.
Danial Ahmad, Author
2 mins to read
38-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Two more weeks! Yes, it’s true, you and your little one will soon be making each other’s acquaintance. Everything is pretty much in place. Read more about this week.
Danial Ahmad, Author
3 mins to read
3 Tips to Reduce Stress for Mothers
The journey of motherhood is a joyful adventure with ups and downs. Though it is rewarding, there are times when you will feel stressed.
3 mins to read
19-Week pregnant: Development and Diet
Your little lodger weighs between 300 and 400 grams – weigh a grapefruit in your hand and that’s about how heavy your child is. Read more about this week.
3 mins to read
Signs of Baby blues vs postpartum depression
Wondering how to know if I have postnatal depression? You’ve just birthed a human, your whole has been turned upside down, and you haven’t slept for what feels like an age.
5 mins to read
Pregnancy Symptoms Week By Week: Week 1 – 12
Pregnancy is a joyous (sometimes tiring) journey of your body’s development for your newborn to enter the world. At times you’ll be excited, at other times you’ll be tired.
3 mins to read
32-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your little darling is still developing as you head into the final lap, but it’s mostly perfecting and polishing from here on out. He or she is getting ready to meet you!
Danial Ahmad, Author
2 mins to read
13-Week Pregnant: Development and Diet
The start of your second trimester is the start of lots of new development milestones for your unborn child. Read more about this week.
2 mins to read
26-Week pregnant: Development and diet
A little ta-da moment for the final week of your second trimester – your darling-in-the-womb will open her eyes for the first time around now! Read more about this week.
Danial Ahmad, Author
2 mins to read
7-Week pregnant: Development and diet
Your unborn child is already a pretty impressive 18 mm long. Though you won’t feel it yet, she’s on the move. Read more about this week.
Danial Ahmad, Author
2 mins to read
Related tools
Ovulation calendar
Determine when you are likely to ovulate can improve your chances of conceiving.
Pregnancy week
Find out what changes you can expect in your body, your emotions, your life and your little one.