Prenatal Care in New Braunfels, TX

For more than 25 years, the Caring Center for Women has been dedicated to helping women have healthy pregnancies. We are pleased that you have chosen our practice to participate in your pregnancy and the birth of your baby. In New Braunfels, TX, we have five board-certified obstetrician-gynecologists (Drs. Teresa Irwin, Barrett Blaue, Kari Fay, Beth Reid, and Brittney Schumann, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.) plus one board-eligible obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Lauren Hermann. Our doctors are highly experienced and passionate about women's health and prenatal care. We look forward to meeting you at your first appointment. Please download our prenatal packet before your visit. Don't forget to bring your current insurance card as well. We will review your medical history, request laboratory tests, and perform a physical examination. Please arrive 15 – 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

First appointment — Visit with a nurse (1 – 1.5 hours)

• Prenatal blood work drawn
• Obtain medical history from mother and father
• Pregnancy education
• Discuss testing options for first trimester screening such as an assessment of the risk for carrying a baby with Down syndrome and a alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) blood test to screen for Down syndrome, Trisomy 18, and neural tube defects
• Pelvic exam includes: pap smear and collected cultures (possibility of spotting after the exam)
• Schedule ultrasound if indicated

After your first visit, you will be scheduled a return visit every four weeks for the first seven months of your pregnancy. The physician or nurse practitioner will listen to your baby’s heartbeat and measure the height of your uterus (to make sure your baby is growing at the rate it should be). If your pregnancy is considered "high risk" or if problems develop during your pregnancy, you may have more frequent visits.

During the eighth month, you will be seen every two weeks, and weekly visits will be scheduled during the last month. At each prenatal visit, you will be weighed, have your blood pressure taken, asked to give a urine specimen, and asked questions about any problems you are experiencing.

Second appointment — Visit with your OB or CNM

• Review results of prenatal blood work
• Discuss first trimester screenings 
• Discuss dating ultrasound (if complete)
• Discuss indication or need for extra testing for women who are high risk or age 35 years or older
• Check blood pressure, urine, and weight

12 weeks

• Discuss results of any prior testing with a provider
• Check fetal heartbeat at each visit
• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine

16 weeks

• Discuss results of the first-trimester screen
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size

18 – 20 weeks

• Detailed anatomic screening ultrasound for a detailed look at the anatomy of the baby

20 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• Review results of 19 – 20 week ultrasound if done

24 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• Discuss one-hour glucose test to be done to check for gestational diabetes
• Register at the hospital and for childbirth classes if desired

28 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• Review results of 1-hour blood glucose test and blood work to check anemia
• Antibody screen to be checked (only if Rh negative)
• Discuss Rhogam injection (only if Rh negative)

30 – 34 weeks
Visits scheduled every 2 weeks 

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat
• Check uterine size

36 weeks
Visits scheduled weekly

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• Obtain a cervical culture to check for Group B-Strep (possibility of spotting after exam)
• Repeat Chlamydia culture (if indicated)
• Repeat RPR and HIV (if indicated)

37 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size

38 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• Discuss Group B-Strep culture results
• Provide cervical Exam

39 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure, and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• Provide cervical exam (if indicated)
• Doctor may discuss and schedule induction

40 weeks

• Check weight, blood pressure and urine
• Listen to fetal heartbeat and check uterine size
• You may have a non-stress test (NST) and/or ultrasound
• Provider may discuss and schedule induction
• Cervical exam

You can expect your initial prenatal visit to take one to one and a half hours. During your appointment, we will review your medical history and will give you a physical examination. In addition, we will perform laboratory tests.

Family Participation

We realize that pregnancy is a family affair and encourage family members to accompany you to some of your visits. Fathers are encouraged to come to as many visits as desired. Children are welcome to come listen to their new sibling’s heartbeat, but on longer visits (such as the initial visit and those visits where special tests are done), you may want to arrange care for them. Occasionally a provider may request some time alone with you, but it is generally your decision to have someone in the examining room during your examinations. Due to limited space, please limit additional people in the exam room to one or two at a time.

During the last two months of your pregnancy, we will encourage you to attend our childbirth classes to prepare you and your partner for labor and delivery. Classes are offered by Central Texas Medical Center and Resolute Health Hospital. If your baby’s father is unable to participate in classes or be with you during labor and delivery, you may choose another person to be with you.

We also have lactation services if you wish to learn more about breastfeeding your baby.

Prenatal care is very important to the health of your unborn baby and for you. You can call our New Braunfels, TX office to schedule or book your appointment online. If you have questions or concerns between visits, please call and talk to one of the nurses. They can often address your concern over the phone. If the nurse determines that you need to be seen, an appointment will be scheduled. Do not sit at home and worry about something when a phone call may set your mind at ease. Schedule your first prenatal visit today at the Caring Center for Women.