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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIt's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment with your obstetrician. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, even if you think they're normal pregnancy symptoms.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements that you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Preparing a list of questions ahead of time will help you make the most of your time with your doctor. List your questions from most important to least important. For preeclampsia, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- Is my condition mild or severe?
- Is it safe to continue the pregnancy?
- What is the best course of action?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- What restrictions do I need to follow?
- Will it be necessary to induce early labor?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
- Pregnancy. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/issues/preg/preg.htm. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Conde-Agudelo A, et al. Maternal infection and risk of preeclampsia: Systematic review and metaanalysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2008;198:7.
- Bodnar LM, et al. Maternal vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of preeclampsia. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2007;92:3517.
- High blood pressure during pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/188_1054.asp. Accessed Feb. 11, 2009.
- Norwitz ER, et al. Management of preeclampsia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Leanos-Miranda A, et al. Urinary prolactin as a reliable marker for preeclampsia, its severity, and the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism. 2008;93:2492.
- Fact sheets: High blood pressure during pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/14332_1222.asp. Accessed Feb. 11, 2009.
- August P, et al. Clinical features, diagnosis and prognosis of preeclampsia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Barton JR, et al. Prediction and prevention of recurrent preeclampsia. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2008;112:359.
- Bellamy L, et al. Pre-eclampsia and risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer in later life: Systematic review and meta-analysis. British Medical Journal. 2007;335:974.
- Facchinetti F, et al. Migraine is a risk factor for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: a prospective cohort study. Cephalgia: An International Journal of Headache. 2009;29:286.
