Michelle Gawne, LM, CPM
Kaleen Richards, CNM, ARNP
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28 Weeks
Another milestone in your pregnancy! Between 24 and 28 weeks gestation, we review our usual prenatal head to toe checklist, measure your uterus and the baby's growth, listen to the baby's heart rate, obtain your blood pressure and check your urine (routine prenatal visit procedures). At this point, we also review fetal kick counts and belly mapping. A few lab tests will be performed during this visit and after this appointment we start seeing each other for prenatal visits every two weeks until you reach 36 weeks.
In addition to your standard visit, you will have eaten the breakfast listed below about 45 minutes before your scheduled appointment. We will perform a blood draw and obtain a blood sample to measure two different lab results. One is the glucose tolerance test (blood sugar) testing for gestational diabetes. The results to this test should be no higher than 139. If your test results are higher than expected we run a different test that is a little more in depth, then report the results to our friendly OBGYN for his review.
The other test is your hemoglobin (iron level). We measure your hemoglobin to make sure that you are not anemic. At this point of pregnancy, your blood volume has increased by as much as 50% as it assists carrying oxygen throughout your body as well as preparing for birth. This is called hemodilution. At this stage, although your blood volume has increased, it is just as described...diluted, and not as rich and thick as it will be toward the end of pregnancy. If your hemoglobin is below 10 gm/dl, we will review some dietary changes we can make to increase your hemoglobin. It will then be rechecked in 2 weeks. The range we like to see hemoglobin (also called hgb) is at around 12 gm/dl.
For our Rh Negative mommies, you get an added test (yippie, you say) and it is a regular blood draw and it is to check for antibodies.
50 Gram Carb Breakfast:
This diet has been adapted from the College Heights OB/Gyn Professional Corp and is done between 24 and 28 weeks gestation. This two-hour post meal blood test is use to find out precisely how your body handles sugar.
In order for the test to be accurate and meaningful, you will need to eat the following foods listed. A blood test needs to be taken 1 hour after you have eaten this meal.
Please eat all the foods in the amounts listed:
• 4 ounces unsweetened juice (orange, grapefruit or apple)
• 2 eggs (scrambled, poached or boiled)
• 2 slices of whole wheat toast with butter
• 8 ounces low-fat milk (1-2%)
Heart 2 Heart Birth Center, Inc.
1110 Lexington Green Lane
Sanford, Florida 32771
Call (407) 322-9944
Gynecological Well Woman Exams / Primary Care & Complete Prenatal Care
