QuestionI am 32 and found out on Nov.4 that I am pregnant. My last cycle started on Oct.3 and ended on Oct.6, due to money issues I need short term disability for maternity leave. Which pushes the date to when I can see a my doctor/midwife to the month of Feb. I'm extremly nervous and not sure if this is at all ok.
AnswerDear Gina,
Well, obviously the sooner you have prenatal care, the better. As far as maternity leave, you should not need to go on maternity leave from work for many months unless you have complications of pregnancy or unless your job is unusually dangerous. But I would encourage you to see a doctor for your first prenatal visit as soon as possible. Among other things, at that first prenatal visit, they will:
-Have a physical exam to make sure you are physically healthy and have no conditions which might pose a threat to the pregnancy.
-Confirm your due date - most likely with an initial ultrasound.
-Find out your health history.
-Explore the medical history of family members.
-Determine if you have any pregnancy risk factors based on your age, health and/or personal and family history.
-Receive a Rx for prenatal vitamins.
-Find out if there are any medications you are on that would pose a risk to the pregnancy.
If your LMP was 10/3 and you have regular 28 day cycles, I would calculate that your estimated conception date was 10/17 and your estimated due date is 7/9/08, making you approximately 6 weeks, 1 day today. At 6 weeks, heart activity can typically be visualized via ultrasound.
Hopefully your question was actually about the maternity leave and did not have to do with health insurance coverage for the pregnancy not beginning until February. I really have never heard of insurance companies not covering a pregnancy until 17+ weeks, which is how far along you would be on 2/1/08. That is just unheard of.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
Brenda
