Your prenatal appointments are an important part of your pregnancy journey. At your appointments, you will have the opportunity to meet with your care team, as well as the physicians specializing in the type of care you require in the course of your pregnancy.
At each prenatal visit, please check in directly at the reception desk and present both your health card and Mount Sinai Hospital card.
The first people you will meet from your care team are the staff at the reception desks. They will help you in scheduling your visits and tests, answering many of your questions and contacting your physician should an emergency arise.
Next you will meet our registered nurses who have extensive experience with pregnancy care and women’s reproductive health. They will take your blood pressure, weight and perform some tests to see how your baby is doing, as well as review your medical history and patient chart.
You will then meet one of the physicians specializing in the type of care you require. This might include physicians in paediatrics, maternal fetal medicine specialists, anesthesia, endocrine, cardiac or internal medicine. You may also meet with other perinatal team members such as social workers, dieticians or a lactation consultant.
Your first visit will take extra time as we will review your health and any medical issues you may have.
An appointment may take up to 3 to 4 hours as we try to coordinate everything you need on the same day. We suggest that you bring along a snack and some reading material in case your appointment time is delayed or longer than anticipated.
You will be offered several blood tests, including blood group and antibody screen (“Rh” group), blood count, thyroid hormone, VDRL, rubella, hepatitis screening, urine cultures, cervical cultures and pap smear.
To help confirm your due date, you will be offered an early ultrasound. Images may be purchased.
You may choose to have an Enhanced First Trimester Screening (FTS), a form of screening for genetic problems such as Down Syndrome, which involves an ultrasound measurement of the baby’s nuchal translucency (NT) as well as additional tests.
You clinician will also discuss other tests that may be appropriate for you, such as maternal serum screen (MSS), chorionic villous sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis. Click here to learn more about screening.
Additional tests may also be needed depending on your condition or that of your baby.
Whether you are being cared for throughout your pregnancy by a Mount Sinai Obstetrician, midwife or your Family Practice Team, we want to ensure that you are well supported with resources and information about what you can expect throughout your pregnancy and care.
Throughout your pregnancy, and during your hospital stay, the healthcare team will discuss your plan for care, in the context of the available evidence in order to adequately prepare you to make decisions. We welcome your input into your care and will respect the informed decisions that you make.
Helpful resources to support mother's health during pregnancy and during parenting.
Nurses working 12-hour shifts will help you learn how to care for your baby. Your involvement and presence is very important and as your baby improves, you will find yourself more involved in your baby's care. In addition to the nurses, the multi-disciplinary team includes:
A number of improvement initiatives are underway to help meet the growing needs of our community, including our Renew Sinai transformation project. See which areas in and around the hospital are currently impacted to help you better plan for your visit.
Mount Sinai Hospital's commitment to delivering the best patient and family-centred care
Healthy, wholesome and nutritious food is essential to our patients’ healing process and part of a holistic care experience
Ensuring our patients experience high-quality, safe and compassionate care is our priority. If you have questions about the hospital or your treatment, please speak with a member of your care team.
If you would prefer to talk to someone who is not directly involved in your care, please contact Patient Relations.
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We are committed to providing all patients with safe, high-quality and compassionate care. Mount Sinai is both a clinical care centre and a teaching hospital, which means that you will be cared for by a medical team. Here are some of the health professionals you may meet during your hospital visit.
During your stay you may be seen by the following members of the care team:
Attending physicians work on a rotation system so it is possible your care may not be supervised by the same physician throughout your stay. However, be assured that each attending physician is fully informed of your health care needs.
If your surgeon or specialist is not assigned as your attending physician, they are encouraged to visit you regularly in the hospital and to keep in close touch with the attending physician. You may also call your personal physician to tell them about your hospital stay. If you have questions about these arrangements, please speak to your primary nurse, personal physician, or attending physician.
Registered nurses play an essential role in your care while you are here. They help assess your condition regularly, administer and monitor treatments and medications, discuss all aspects of your care with you, and make sure your physician is aware of any concerns.
In addition, registered nurses regularly provide expertise and offer support to patients and families. They work collaboratively with the broader health care team to ensure you receive the best care possible.
Our dietitians work with the medical team to assess, develop and implement nutrition care plans for patients. If you require special nutritional care because of a condition, injury or illness, they will help you choose the best food for your needs, monitor what you eat and whatever supplements you might be taking, and make sure you understand any important instructions.
Occupational therapists might work with you if you have physical, cognitive, mental and environmental challenges. Their goal is to help you be as independent as possible in everyday activities. They might help you learn, or relearn, how to perform certain activities, provide your family or caregiver with education and support, or connect you to helpful community resources.
As part of a multi-disciplinary team, inpatient physiotherapists work with patients from pre-admission through to discharge, providing assessment, treatment, education and consultation. Physiotherapists also assist with discharge planning including referral to home-care physiotherapy services. Inpatient physiotherapy services include respiratory, medical, orthopedic, post-surgical and neurological care.
Registered respiratory therapists (RRTs) assess, monitor and treat individuals with respiratory and cardiac disorders. RRTs can be found in our intensive care unit, neonatal unit, operating rooms, general wards, coronary care unit and emergency department. RRTs treat patients of all ages, from caring for infants and children to adults, including geriatric patients.
Our spiritual care professionals are trained to offer multi-faith spiritual care and support. We respect your right and the rights of all people to their individual beliefs and religious affiliations. For more information, please call 416-586-4800, ext. 8567. Visit our Spiritual Care page for more information.
Social workers help patients and families cope with the stress and difficult decisions often associated with illness and hospitalization. We have a wide range of services, including counselling and support as well as assistance with discharge planning and arranging of community services to ensure continuity of care. You can contact the Social Work Department at 416-586-4800, ext. 5201.
Bioethicists at Mount Sinai Hospital are available to provide consultation services to our patients, families and staff regarding specific ethical problems in patient care or health care delivery. The bioethicist can be reached at 416-586-4800, ext. 2163. Visit our Ethics page for more information.