Your prenatal care, on your calendar
Prenatal care follows a pattern: a first appointment early in pregnancy, screening tests in specific windows, more frequent visits as the due date approaches. The exact schedule depends on where you live and who provides your care, but the timing of many tests is similar everywhere because it is tied to how far along you are. This Prenatal Calculator turns those typical windows into your own dates.
Typical prenatal timeline
| Weeks | What is commonly offered |
|---|---|
| 8–10 | First appointment: health history, blood tests, sometimes a dating scan |
| From 10 | Cell-free DNA (NIPT) screening, where available |
| 11–13+6 | First-trimester screening with nuchal translucency scan |
| 15–22 | Second-trimester blood screening (if earlier screening wasn’t done) |
| 18–22 | Detailed anatomy (anomaly) scan |
| 24–28 | Glucose screening for gestational diabetes |
| From ~27 | Whooping cough (Tdap) vaccine in many countries |
| ~28 | Anti-D injection if you are Rh-negative |
| 36–37+6 | Group B strep screening where routine |
| 41 | Review and discussion of options if the baby hasn’t arrived |
This list is a general guide only. Your own care plan may include other appointments — for example if you are expecting twins or have a medical condition — and some tests are offered only in some countries.
Getting the most from your appointments
- Bring a list of questions and any symptoms you have noticed.
- Ask what each test screens for, whether it is optional, and when results arrive.
- Keep your notes and results together — your EDD, blood group and scan dates are useful at every visit.
For a week-by-week view of the whole pregnancy, use the Pregnancy Timeline. If you are unsure of your dates, start with the Pregnancy Calculator.