Pregnancy Test Doctors and Pregnancy Pediatricians

I Think I'm Pregnant!

You've missed a period, you are exhausted and now you can't hold breakfast down. Could it be? If you suspect you are pregnant, you can get a home pregnancy test, or see your doctor for a pregnancy test. While many women use pregnancy test kits, equally as many rely on the pregnancy test doctors use - just to be sure. The doctor may use a blood or urine test to see if you are pregnant. Certainly, if you do use a home test kit, after the pregnancy test, see your doctor for confirmation.

Asking Questions - Getting Answers

Perhaps you haven't conceived yet but you and your partner are ready to begin a family. This would be the best time to make a preconception appointment with your family doctor so that you can, together with your partner, have the doctor go over your health history and address any pregnancy questions that doctors can answer. If there are health issues on either side of the relationship, then the doctor can make recommendations and also refer you to specialists if necessary. Pregnancy health is paramount to a successful outcome.

Your family doctor may be the one who is the pregnancy test doctor as well as the one who answers your pregnancy questions. Doctors who focus on family practice are concerned with the total health care of you and your family. Family practice doctors can have very extensive background in all kinds of specialties, like obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and psychiatry, so bringing your pregnancy questions to doctors in this kind of practice is an excellent way to get the answers you need.

If There Are Complications

Pregnancy health can be complicated for some women, though, and they made need more assistance or treatment. During pregnancy medical specialists such as obstetricians and gynecologists are sought out to treat women with high-risk pregnancies or those with complications. If a mother has diabetes, high blood pressure, or a disorder that lends to seizures, an ob/gyn is the best choice for her pregnancy. A gynecologist has specific knowledge and skills to properly deal with these types of pregnancy health issues and to work together with the mother to ensure a safe delivery of a healthy baby. An obstetrician deals with the problems of both mother and baby during pregnancy and can be an important factor in consulting with other doctors should the need arise.

Taking Care of Baby

Doctors who deal specifically with diseases and disorders in newborn babies are neonatal - perinatal doctors. Perinatal refers to the time just before and immediately following birth, and neonatal refers the time after the birth. Premature infants are usually under the care of a neonatal-perinatal doctor who has special training and skills in dealing with the specific needs of sick and premature newborns. If a woman has a higher than usual risk for pregnancy complications, a neonatal-perinatal doctor may consult with the obstetrician to help the woman. He or she may also be a pediatrician as well as a neonatal-perinatal doctor. The primary focus of this specialty is the care of the mother and the health and wellness of the newborn.

Pediatrics is the treatment of health disorders and diseases in infants, children and adolescents. The focus in pregnancy of pediatricians is with the impact of disease and dysfunction on a child's development and growth. A pediatric doctor is consulted during pregnancy when there is a need to address congenital defects, immunology, oncology (cancer) and other disorders that can affect a baby. Finding a good pediatrician to care for your baby after birth is important since they are trained and skilled in the treatment of childhood issues.

Pregnancy Dentistry

During pregnancy, the dentist is an important person to visit. It is important to have preventive dental cleanings and exams, especially since the increased hormone levels during pregnancy can cause gums to swell and bleed. Oral infections can be prevented with proper care. Gum disease has been linked to preterm birth, so a healthy mouth is important. However, while you are pregnant, your dentist will likely refrain from doing any serious dental work until after the baby is born - unless it is an emergency. It is just safer for the baby if you are not exposed to anything that could put the baby at risk, even minimally.