Every check-up starts with brief history-taking, covering the period since the last consultation.
Enquire about the physical and mental well-being and ask whether the advice given (e.g. concerning diet or risk factors) has been followed.
Pay particular attention to:
- Headache, heavy feeling in the abdominal area, visual complaints, oedema (gestational hypertension).
- Uterine contractions.
- Blood loss.
- Amniotic fluid loss.
- Reduced or no more perceptible foetal movements. Make specific enquiries about this if the examination gives cause to do so. If the history-taking indicates signs of abnormalities, the examination should be expanded accordingly (e.g. gestational hypertension/pre-eclampsia, threatened premature birth, etc).