First GP appointment

Hi,

I've got my first GP appointment this week, when I estimate I'll be around the 6 week mark. What should I expect that they'll do? Can I go armed with a massive list of questions, or is all that for once I'm referred to the midwife?

I can't wait for the appointment, I might actually begin to feel properly pregnant! At the moment I'm just freaked out one minute and completely underwhelmed the next.

First time for me the GP checked I was pregnant with a urine sample. Later times they just accepted it!

Last time it was a fairly young male GP and he was so excited he wanted to tell me everything! But before it had been fairly udnerwhelming. The MW deals with all the questions in my area but it is really different from area to area!

All that happened at my initial GP appointment with both of mine was confirmation of my due date, they took my blood pressure and filled in the form to refer me to the midwife. It was pretty disappointing the first time tbh!

What can you expect from the gp? Possibly a congratulations but other than that not much really , the gp refers you to the mw (although in a lot of areas you can self refer so I'd check if you can in your area to cut out the gp iyswim), the mw will then do blood pressure, pulse, height and weight and will refer you for your scan. She will test your urine and go through your medical history (of you, your h and close family ie parents and siblings)

Your GP probably won't do much other than fill in forms and give general advice.  My GP told me not to miscarry when I was expecting O.... Thankfully, I was able to self-refer to the MW this time round.

Thanks for your replies. I enquired at the GPs whether I needed to see a doctor, or a nurse or the midwife attached to the practice, and they said book with a GP. I hope they do re-test me, I have a horrible feeling I tested wrong and got the wrong result! Mind you, a digital test saying pregnant 3+ is pretty difficult to ignore!

I think I'll make my list of questions anyway. One or two are more urgent than the others, so maybe I'll see if I can get answers for those from the GP and save the others until the midwife appointment.

queencrunchy:

I think I'll make my list of questions anyway. One or two are more urgent than the others, so maybe I'll see if I can get answers for those from the GP and save the others until the midwife appointment.

Can we help you at all?

When they tested the first time, the GP said I must have my dates wrong as my hCG levels were so high!

My gp didn't test me, they went by my dates and just took my name and address and said the midwife will contact me in a few weeks, that was pretty much it so hoping the midwife is more helpful

In our area you go straight to the midwife who fills in all the relevant paperwork, I cant imagine that a dr would do much more than maybe a test, blood pressure and give you your bounty pack

The GP just took my BP and referred me to the midwife. She didn't re test me. Have a think which hospital you want to go to (if you have a choice near you), as she asked me where I wanted to be referred to.

First time, the receptionist told me I had to provide a sample for another test (having asked me if I wanted to talk to someone about the pregnancy - I was not amused and mentioned this to the GP) and it came back negative. The GP chuckled and told me that my 4 tests done at home couldn't be wrong! I was told though that it's not policy at our doctors to retest.

Margot did the receptionist do the test what a bloody cheek!!!

Ds I'd have been furious!!!

I remember being all excited but it was a bit of a let down as I was only 6 weeks pregnant & was told I needed to wait till I was 8 weeks as they don't start the paperwork on a pregnancy so early (After that comment I was worried that obviously a high number of pregnancies end very early). At 8 weeks I went in again & all the gp did was take my details to give to the midwife. At 1 of these appointments I asked my gp to do a pregnancy test & she did 1 to humour me as she said that the 4 positive ones I'd done at home would be correct!!

Our appointment, IMO was a complete waste of the doctors time.

I rang up to say I was pregnant, and the receptionist booked me an appointment at 6ish weeks with the GP, who said "Congratulations". followed by "I am assuming it's happy news" - TBF to her, I didn't look like a happy pregnant lady having just returned from a cruise when I was ill every single day, but still.. I thought it was a little off.

Then she made sure I was taking folic acid, and sent me back to reception to book in with the midwife post 8weeks - the first MW appointment was just a form filling excercise with my blood preassure/bloods/urine tests mixed in.

Mine was a waste of time too, but here you have to see a GP to have the pregnancy confirmed and be referred to a midwife.

He basically prescribed me some folic acid, took a test and weighed me. That was it.

ETA he was a sweet doctor and spilled my sample all over the side