During an antenatal visit, the midwife follows a structured medical routine where the same measurements are documented each time. The visit often begins with measuring blood pressure using a cuff on the upper arm. The result is compared with earlier readings to detect any changes that may indicate preeclampsia or other circulatory conditions. You also provide a urine sample, which is tested for protein or glucose. These findings can indicate kidney involvement or a possible risk of gestational diabetes.

The symphysis–fundal height is measured while you lie on the examination couch. The midwife locates the top of the uterus and measures the distance from the pubic bone to this point. The measurement is entered into a growth chart to follow the height of the uterus in relation to gestational age. Your weight is also recorded and followed over time, but it is not used to assess the fetus directly, rather as part of an overall picture of pregnancy progression.

From around week 25, the fetal heart rate can be registered using a Doppler device placed on the abdomen. The midwife documents the heart rate frequency, but not movement patterns. At certain visits, blood samples may also be taken, for example to check hemoglobin levels, blood type, antibodies or glucose levels, depending on the stage of pregnancy. All results are recorded and compared over time. It is not a single value that is assessed, but how values change in relation to gestational age and previous findings.

The medical record functions as the pregnancy’s documented history and follows the care process if further assessment becomes necessary.

Alma’s tips 🌿

A helpful tip can be to write down your questions before the visit, since it may be easier to bring them up when the medical record is open. You can ask to see how the fundal height is plotted in the chart if you want to understand what is being documented. If you wonder about a result, you can ask what it is being compared with, rather than only the number itself. You can also ask what parts of the visit are recorded and carried forward in the pregnancy documentation.