Obstetric Care

Congratulations!

We are so excited to be able to support you on this journey as you bring your little one into the world!

Call Us to Schedule Your First Appointment!

We typically like to see you for your first appointment between 8-10 weeks pregnant. See below for our typical appointment schedule to get a sense of what your pregnancy appointments will look like!  

Please note: If you have a history of miscarriage or any concerns about miscarriage – please CALL OUR OFFICE as soon as possible. We may need to send you for blood work testing at a lab to assess if you may need hormonal supplementation. A large majority of miscarriages are due to low Progesterone in the early stages of pregnancy, and the sooner we know, the more likely we will be able to help your baby during those early days. 
 
If you are planning to have a c-section, Dr. Pranger is able to see you up until the surgery, at which point one of the hospital Obstetricians will preform the surgery. If you have any questions about this, give our office a call! 
 

During your pregnancy you will typically be seen every 4 weeks in the beginning, shifting to every two weeks, and then every week as you get closer to delivery. As you get closer to your delivery, we like to see you more often to make sure both you and baby are still healthy as you get closer to meeting each other face to face!

  • 8-10wks gestation: First OB visit! At this time we are able to measure how far along your baby is and determine an accurate due date. 
  • 12 weeks gestation: New OB visit – Plan for extra time! At this appointment we will gather some of your family history and other information so that we have what we need for your pregnancy. 
  • 16 weeks gestation: At this appointment we will check on baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have. This is a regular OB appointment. 
  • 20 weeks gestation: Plan for extra time! this is your 20wk ultrasound where Dr. Pranger will asses the growth of baby and all of his/her internal organs to make sure things are looking normal. This is also the time you can learn the gender of your baby if you choose!
  • 24 weeks gestation: At this appointment, we will be testing your blood glucose level which means you will need to be in the building for at least 1 hour. Please do not eat anything with sugar in it before your appointment, as this may skew the results! 
  • 28 weeks gestation: At this appointment we will check on baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have. This is a regular OB appointment. 
  • 30 weeks gestation: This is a regular OB appointment. If this is not your first baby, Dr. Pranger may determine this appointment can be optional. 
  • 32 weeks gestation: This is a regular OB appointment where we check your baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have.
  • 34 weeks gestation: This is a regular OB appointment where we check your baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have.
  • 36 weeks gestation: At this appointment we will collect a lab in the office to test for group B strep. This is helpful information to have during delivery. Feel free to ask Dr. Pranger or his nurse with questions about this! This is a regular OB appointment.
  • 37 weeks gestation: This is a regular OB appointment where we check your baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have.
  • 38 weeks gestation: If you choose to sweep membranes in an attempt to induce labor, there is a possibility that this will be done at this appointment or any time after this one. This is something you can discuss with Dr. Pranger for more information. 
  • 39 weeks gestation: This is a regular OB appointment where we check your baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have.
  • 40 weeks gestation: This is a regular OB appointment where we check your baby’s heart rate and answer any questions you may have.
  • New Baby appointment! Congratulations, your baby has arrived! It may feel like forever since you found out that you were going to have a baby, or maybe it sped by. Either way we hope to support you and your little one!
  • 6 weeks postpartum: We will see you between 4-8 weeks after your baby is born to check in with you on your healing progress! Please call us if you have any concerns at all before this appointment. We are here to support you!!

When billing for pregnancy care, most charges are billed at the end in an “OB Package” so you can expect to pay most of your bills for visits and the hospital stay at the end. There are some charges that have to be sent in prior to the OB Package like ultrasounds or blood tests. If you have a high deductible health insurance plan, there may be charges earlier on that are typically applied to your deductible. If you have any questions about this, please let us know! You can view our billing page for more information on insurance.

If you have any questions about billing, email us at fiatfamilymedicine@gmail.com

At this time, Dr. Pranger delivers at MercyOne Hospital, just a few blocks away from our office! 

To the right is a picture of the MercyOne campus – when you are in labor or on your way to a scheduled induction, you will need enter through the Outpatient & Women’s Clinic Entrance and go straight to the 3rd floor to check in. 

For Lab testing or Radiology check in – use the Clinic Entrance, and turn left to get to the circle desk.

Click Here for more information about MercyOne’s Birthing Center!

Pregnancy Support

Guiding Star Cedar Valley, located within our building is here to help support you through your pregnancy!

 Ask to meet with someone from their staff at one your visits! 

Need a Breast Pump?

Does your insurance cover a breast pump? Aeroflow representatives will contact your insurance company for you to see if these products are covered and they will send a prescription to Dr. Pranger for any covered supplies. Ask about our in office prescription forms at your appointment!