Can gynecologists tell if you are pregnant?

If you suspect you are pregnant, one of the benefits of being examined by an OB/GYN is that the doctor can use additional tests to confirm the pregnancy — such as a blood test and a pelvic ultrasound. The blood test your doctor performs can detect pregnancy earlier than a urine pregnancy test.

Yes, your OB/GYN can confirm you’re pregnant with a urine test or an additional blood test. If you suspect you’re pregnant, one of the benefits of being examined by an OB/GYN is that the doctor can use additional tests to confirm the pregnancy — such as a blood test and a pelvic ultrasound. The blood test your doctor performs can detect pregnancy earlier than a urine pregnancy test

If you are pregnant, one of the benefits of being examined by an OB/GYN is that your doctor can use additional tests to confirm the pregnancy. The blood test your doctor performs can detect pregnancy earlier than a urine pregnancy test.

Having a positive pregnancy test is not an indicator that you are pregnant. One of the benefits of an examination by an OB/GYN is that he or she can use additional tests to confirm the pregnancy — such as a blood test and a pelvic ultrasound. Your doctor will use these tests to confirm your pregnancy.

How Soon Can a Doctor Tell If You Are Pregnant

If you suspect you are pregnant, one of the benefits of being examined by an OB/GYN is that the doctor can use additional tests to confirm the pregnancy — such as a blood test and a pelvic ultrasound. The blood test your doctor performs can detect pregnancy earlier than a urine pregnancy test. The drawback is that it usually takes 24 hours to get results.

Ultrasound Scans for Determining Pregnancy

Your OB/GYN can also do a pelvic/transvaginal ultrasound if required. It is a type of ultrasound scan carried out by placing a probe in the vagina. A pelvic/transvaginal ultrasound can detect the heartbeat very early in your pregnancy—earlier than a standard abdominal ultrasound done on your stomach. A pelvic/transvaginal ultrasound can confirm early pregnancy and assist with due date calculation. This is done at 6 – 7 weeks after your last cycle. It is safe for both you and the fetus.

Further along in pregnancy, your OB/GYN might do an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram). It uses reflected sound waves to produce a picture of a fetus. It can determine how far along the pregnancy has progressed. Sonographers will also carefully examine your baby’s body to check its health and development. The scan can be used to:

Calculate your estimated due date
Check the size of the baby and that it is growing normally
Identify if there is more than one baby
Detect certain physical conditions
Show the position of the baby and the placenta
Varify the gender of the baby if requested

Whether transvaginal or abdominal, there are no known risks to you or the baby from having an ultrasound scan.

Colorado Obstetrics & Women’s Health

At Colorado Obstetrics & Women’s Health, we pride ourselves on providing the highest quality OB/GYN care. We offer complete obstetrical and prenatal care through routine or high-risk pregnancies. Our team of dedicated women’s health professionals understands that every pregnancy and childbirth is a unique experience for everyone.

If you are looking for an OB/GYN who will work with you to have the best possible experience throughout your pregnancy, give us a call today at (719) 634-8800 to schedule an appointment.

Can a Gyno Tell If You Are Pregnant During a Pap

When there’s a possibility you might be pregnant, a pelvic exam^[1] can be the first thing your doctor recommends. By looking for a range of different signs, different symptoms, a medical professional can gauge how likely a woman is to be pregnant.

None of the signs that may be noted are definitive signs of pregnancy. However, they are often the first clues that indicate more testing is called for.

How Soon Can A Doctor Detect Pregnancy By Pelvic Exam?

There is no exact answer, unfortunately. The earliest signs of pregnancy detectable during a pelvic exam usually show up at around six weeks after your last period. However, those signs can also have other potential causes. As a result, pregnancies are almost always confirmed by lab tests.

Symptoms of pregnancy are usually grouped into presumptive, probable, and proven signs. The only way to absolutely prove someone is pregnant is through a test performed by a doctor or when a baby pops out. Presumptive and probable signs are strong indicators and are the first things a doctor will look for. Of course, the more signs that appear together, the more likely they point to pregnancy.

Signs of pregnancy that might be detected through a pelvic exam include:

Vaginal changes such as color and firmness
Changes in the size and position of the uterus
Abdominal changes that correspond to the changes in the uterus
Cervical changes such as softening and the formation of a mucous plug

Presumptive Signs Of Pregnancy

Presumptive symptoms^[2] are the ones that you’ll notice yourself and are the reasons you make a doctor’s appointment. Some of the most common presumptive symptoms are:

Missing Your Period

Missing your period, clinically known as amenorrhea, is the clearest symptom. However, there are a few different reasons you might miss your period, not just because of pregnancy. Stress, anemia, and excessive exercise can all also lead to a missed period. Also, about a fifth of women will see some spotting while pregnant.

Vomiting And Nausea

While it does frequently occur in the morning^[3], newly expectant mothers may feel nauseous at just about any time. As a symptom, it will show up around week 6 of your pregnancy. Some women will have problems with nausea throughout the pregnancy, but for many, it will clear up after the first trimester.

Fatigue That Is Unusually Severe

Feeling the need to urinate frequently is common with newly pregnant women, as is unusually severe fatigue.

Breast Changes

The size, shape, and coloration of the breasts may change throughout the pregnancy. They will often get temporarily larger, feeling full or tingly. As the pregnancy progresses there will be an enlargement of Montgomery glands, which are the bumps on the areola The areola will usually darken and the breasts may overall become more sensitive or tender.

Skin Changes

A few temporary changes to the skin may also indicate pregnancy. One is the linea nigra, which is a black line that may appear on the belly, running from top to bottom. This will usually fade soon after pregnancy. Some women develop something called the ‘Mask of Pregnancy’, more technically called chloasma. It mostly affects the forehead, chin, and cheeks, creating dark splotches. Stretch marks, which are caused by both hormones and weight gain, are likely to be more permanent.

Chadwick’s Sign

This is one of the signs that may be noticed during a pelvic exam. The lining of the vagina changes color, darkening as the veins in the area become more visible. Chadwick’s Sign can usually be seen around the 6th week of pregnancy.

Probable Signs Of Pregnancy

Probable signs^[4] are the sort of things a doctor or nurse is looking for. They may not be things you notice or that interfere with your day. However, a woman’s body changes in some specific ways when getting ready for a baby that a doctor can look for.

Some of the signs a medical professional might look for include:

Uterine Changes

The uterus will grow much larger and shift position during the course of a pregnancy. A pelvic exam might include looking for Hegar’s sign, which is a softening of the lower uterus, just above the cervix.

Abdominal Changes

As the uterus grows in size the abdominal muscles loosen to give it room. Skin changes such as the linea nigra and stretch marks are also things a doctor might look for.

Cervical Changes

The cervix undergoes several changes in preparation for pregnancy that a doctor might notice during a pelvic exam. The mucous plug is formed in the cervix to seal the uterus and protect it from contamination. Goodell’s sign, which is a softening of the cervix, usually appears during the 6th week of pregnancy.

Basal body temperature, your resting body temperature, can also be a good indicator of pregnancy. It’s most useful when you have a record of your basal body temperature to compare against. A doctor might also be able to palpate the fetus, actually feel it slightly in a pregnant woman’s abdomen.

Each of these signs can have several different causes, however. There may be very little real doubt, but usually, a doctor will ask for a couple of tests to absolutely confirm a baby is on the way.

Knowing For Sure

There are generally two tests that are considered to prove when someone is pregnant if there is any real doubt. Blood tests^[5] can be used just a few days after conception. Ultrasounds provide the opportunity to directly check on the baby’s size, health, and confirm the due date. Most often both will be used to confirm the pregnancy and check on the baby’s health.

Blood Test

The blood test you get at the doctor works on the same broad principle as a home pregnancy test^[6], which uses urine to detect hCG. They are both looking for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG if that’s too many syllables. This hormone is produced after an egg is implanted in the uterus, so it’s a reliable indicator of pregnancy.

It’s possible for a blood test to be positive even if the woman is not actually pregnant, though it’s fairly rare.

Ultrasound

To confirm pregnancy and monitor the baby’s development, most women will be given an ultrasound^[7] during their first trimester. As the name implies, ultrasound uses waves of sound bouncing around your body to form an image. Ultrasounds are used for a lot of things, but they are generally best known for taking a baby’s first picture, confirming the due date, and size of the fetus.

There are two types of ultrasound that may be used.

Transvaginal: This is what is most likely to be used in the first trimester. This type of ultrasound uses a wand placed into the woman’s vagina.
Transabdominal: When you see an ultrasound on a TV show, this is what they are depicting. A wand is applied to the abdomen to get an image. This is used in later pregnancy.

There are more reliable ways to detect pregnancy, but a pelvic exam can be the first step. In many cases, it’s a routine part of regular medical care. Doctors use it to monitor your reproductive health and as a way to diagnose potential problems. For both of those reasons, finding some of the signs we’ve described may be the first real confirmation of a possible pregnancy.

Can a Gynecologist See Early Pregnancy

A pelvic/transvaginal ultrasound can confirm early pregnancy and assist with due date calculation. This is done at 6 – 7 weeks after your last cycle. It is safe for both you and the fetus. Further along in pregnancy, your OB/GYN might do an abdominal ultrasound (sonogram).

A pelvic/transvaginal ultrasound will confirm early pregnancy and assist with due date calculation. This is done at 6 – 7 weeks after your last cycle. It is safe for both you and the fetus. Your OB/GYN might do an abdominal or vaginal sonogram (US) as well, but these are covered by insurance only around 20 weeks or later on in pregnancy

A pelvic/transvaginal ultrasound can confirm early pregnancy and assist with due date calculation. This is done at 6 – 7 weeks after your last cycle. It is safe for both you and the fetus.

Can a Gyno Tell If You’re Pregnant

If you suspect that you are pregnant, one of the benefits of being examined by an OB/GYN is that the doctor can use additional tests to confirm the pregnancy. The blood test your doctor performs can detect pregnancy earlier than a urine pregnancy test.

A doctor can’t simply tell you whether you’re pregnant, but there are some signs you should watch for. An OB/GYN may perform a blood test to determine if your pregnancy is viable. This can also be used to confirm a missed missed period and rule out ectopic pregnancies.

Can A Gynecologist Feel If You Are Pregnant