I'm pregnant but my doctor won't see me before 9 weeks. Why not? Is it OK to wait?
Sunnu Rebecca Choi for NPR
Q: I just found out I'm pregnant. According to my period tracking app, I'm about five weeks along. But I can't get a first prenatal appointment until I'm nine weeks in. I'm super stressed out. Why can't I see a doctor sooner? And is it really OK to wait that long?
First of all, congratulations!
And don't worry. It's normal to want to see a doctor right away when you see those two side-by-side lines on a positive pregnancy test. But it's also pretty typical to have trouble getting an appointment to confirm you're pregnant.
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A physician friend of mine also recently went through this. Even with insider connections at her hospital, she couldn't see a doctor for another month. So she texted one of the OB/GYNs in her office and asked her to do an ultrasound between her scheduled appointments!
My friend was lucky she could access this workaround. But I've always wondered why early pregnancy care isn't available to those of us who don't have an OB/GYN on speed dial.
Many prenatal providers won't schedule patients until eight or ni
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