BUSY!
This visit is busy. You will have the same evaluation of your blood pressure, weight and urine. We will continue to measure the size of your baby by fundal heights and your baby is just over 2 pounds in size. For those of you who may have had some abnormalities viewed on the 20 week anatomy ultrasound, this visit may require a repeat ultrasound to follow-up.
Twenty-eight weeks is traditionally the appointment when you are screened for gestational diabetes. In this test, you will be given a really sugary drink and have your blood drawn one hour later to measure your glucose. With that blood draw, we also will check a CBC, which includes your hemoglobin and hematocrit levels to ensure you are not anemic. Depending on your blood type, (and your physician can review that with you), you may need to have additional blood work performed to check for antibodies. If you are Rh negative, you will need a Rhogam shot. Finally, it is strongly recommended that you receive the DTaP vaccine to protect your infant from whopping cough when born.
Your infant’s movements have become stronger and more appreciable to the extent you may have noticed a pattern for his or her activity. Because of this, I discuss starting formal fetal kick counts. These “counts” are rarely a concern at this point as majority of infants are highly active. However, as the pregnancy progresses, the intensity of movements may decrease but the frequency should still be the same. I think of this as a “training” for you as the patient, to learn what is normal for your little one so you can be aware if there are concerns later on.
You are now to have follow up in TWO weeks–you are getting closer!
