The final trimester is notoriously tiring, but hang in there: You’re almost at the finish line!
During your third trimester (which begins at week 28 of pregnancy), your checkups will be pretty similar to all the others you’ve attended up to this point. There’s just one notable change: You’ll be seeing your doctor a lot more often.
Here’s what to expect from your third trimester prenatal care appointments.
What to expect during your third trimester appointments
At each appointment during your third trimester of pregnancy, your practitioner will ask if you’ve been experiencing any unusual symptoms, measure your baby, check his heartbeat and run one or more tests. Your doctor or midwife will also ask how much your baby’s moving and advise you to call right away if you feel less movement than usual.
Third trimester tests
Your practitioner will run a number of tests throughout the third trimester:
- A urine test at each appointment, to check for protein (which may signal preeclampsia)
- A blood test sometime during your seventh month, to check for anemia
- A vaginal and rectal swab at around 35 to 37 weeks, to check for group B strep (this bacteria is perfectly normal and not a problem outside of labor and delivery; your healthcare provider just needs to know if you have it to determine whether you’ll get antibiotics when you’re in labor to protect your baby from infection)
- A glucose screening test (if you didn’t have one earlier in your pregnancy)
Third trimester measurements
Your doctor or midwife will take several measurements at each appointment during the third trimester, including your:
- Weight
- Blood pressure
- Fundal height (the distance from the top of your uterus to your pubic bone), which provides a sense of your baby’s growth rate
- Baby’s size and position, by palpating (feeling your belly from the outside)
Your doctor will also take a peek at your hands, face and ankles for swelling, which can also be a sign of preeclampsia. And from week 36 on, your doctor may check your cervix (the neck of your uterus) at your weekly appointments for signs of dilation and effacement (which mean your body’s preparing for labor).
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Third trimester ultrasounds
The only official ultrasounds during pregnancy are in the first and second trimesters.
Your doctor may, however, schedule an ultrasound during the third trimester to check fetal growth, to look for changes in the cervix if you’re at risk of preterm labor or to verify if your baby is breech (i.e. not a birth-friendly, heads-down position).
Third trimester heartbeat checks
You'll have plenty of opportunities to hear your baby's heartbeat at every biweekly and weekly pregnancy checkup — which can be extra reassuring as your due date nears.
Third trimester vaccinations
During one of your third trimester visits, you'll want to make sure you receive the tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. One dose of Tdap is recommended during each pregnancy to protect your newborn from whooping cough (pertussis), regardless of when you had your last Tdap or tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccination. Ideally, the vaccine should be given between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
How often do you see your OB/GYN during the third trimester?
Prenatal appointments in the third trimester happen every other week from week 28 to week 36. From week 36 on, you'll visit your practitioner once per week until you give birth.
What to expect during your third trimester appointments if you’re a high-risk pregnancy
If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, you may undergo additional tests, including:
- Nonstress test: Special equipment measures your baby’s heart rate and response to movement. Nonstress tests are often recommended in moms who have complications (such as gestational diabetes); you may get one at any point during your third trimester.
- Biophysical profile: If your doctor needs additional information after a nonstress (or other) test during your third trimester, she may follow up with a biophysical profile. This test monitors your baby’s heartbeat in combination with an ultrasound to get a better feel of what’s going on in your uterus.
Questions to ask your OB/GYN during your third trimester appointments
Your practitioner is there to answer your questions. Jot down anything that’s on your mind before your appointment so you won't forget to bring it up while you’re there.
Questions for your third trimester appointments may include:
- How can I take care of myself and my baby during these final weeks?
- Are there any red-flag symptoms that I should watch out for during my last trimester?
- How can I tell the difference between Braxton-Hicks contractions and true labor contractions?
- What are the signs that I’m in labor, and at what point should I call a doctor or head to the hospital?
- What should I do if my water breaks?
- Can we discuss my birth plan? What are my pain relief options?
- What should I expect during my labor and delivery?
- What happens immediately after I give birth?
- How long should I expect to stay in the hospital?
- Is there anything I shouldn’t forget to pack in my hospital bag?
- Should I consider banking my baby's cord blood?
- What should I know about circumcision?
- If I plan on nursing, where can I get breastfeeding support?
Beyond what to expect from the last few weeks of pregnancy, you may even talk a bit about what you can expect from post-pregnancy life. You may, for example, want to ask about your specific birth control options including IUDs, the pill or tubal ligation.
Write down the information your midwife or OB/GYN shares with you during these final pregnancy checkups. Your brain may be too fuzzy at this point to recall it otherwise!
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