Should I get the flu vaccine during pregnancy?
Yes; Türkiye's Ministry of Health recommends that pregnant women get the flu vaccine during flu season (September–April). The vaccine protects you from flu, which can be more serious in pregnancy. The flu vaccine is an inactivated (non-live) vaccine; live vaccines aren't given during pregnancy. You can get it from your family doctor or your own doctor. This applies in Türkiye; if you live elsewhere, follow your doctor's advice and your own country's health program.
When is the tetanus and whooping cough vaccine given?
In Türkiye, pregnant women are given the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine (Td). Since 2025, Türkiye's Ministry of Health has replaced one of these doses with a vaccine that also covers whooping cough (Tdap), given once in every pregnancy, between weeks 18 and 24. Thanks to this vaccine, antibodies passed on from you protect your baby in their first months, until their own vaccines take effect. Check your vaccination status with your family doctor. This applies in Türkiye; if you live elsewhere, follow your doctor's advice and your own country's health program.
Why is the glucose tolerance test done?
This test is usually done between weeks 24 and 28 to catch gestational diabetes, which often causes no symptoms. It may be done earlier if you have risk factors such as diabetes in a previous pregnancy, a previous large baby, obesity or diabetes in the family. Untreated gestational diabetes raises the risk of a large baby, of needing intervention or a cesarean at birth, and of low blood sugar in the newborn; it can often be controlled with diet and exercise.
What are the double and triple tests, and when are they done?
These are screening tests that estimate the chance of chromosomal differences such as Down syndrome in the baby; they don't give a definite diagnosis. The double (combined) test is done at weeks 11–14 with a blood test and a nuchal translucency scan. If the combined test couldn't be done, a triple or quadruple test can be done at weeks 16–20. If the result shows a high chance, your doctor will suggest further tests; these tests are optional.
How many prenatal check-ups should I have?
Türkiye's Ministry of Health recommends at least 4 check-ups in a healthy pregnancy: within the first 14 weeks, and at weeks 18–24, 24–28 and 36–38. Many doctors prefer to see you more often, and high-risk pregnancies need more visits. After week 32, a weekly NST (monitoring of the baby's heartbeat and movements) may be done, and GBS (group B strep) screening is done at week 36. When you find out you're pregnant, don't delay your first check-up, even if you feel fine. This applies in Türkiye; if you live elsewhere, follow your doctor's advice and your own country's health program.
When is the detailed (anomaly) scan done?
The detailed ultrasound (anomaly scan), which checks the baby's organs and physical development, is usually done between weeks 18 and 22. The scan also looks at the baby's growth, the position of the placenta and the amount of amniotic fluid. Ultrasound uses sound waves and has no known harm to the baby.
When can the baby's heartbeat be heard?
The baby's heartbeat can usually be seen on a vaginal ultrasound at weeks 6–8. With the handheld Doppler used at check-ups, it can usually be heard from weeks 10–12. Not seeing it in the early weeks doesn't always mean there's a problem; your doctor may repeat the scan. Listening at home with a Doppler device isn't reliable and isn't recommended.
When can I find out the baby's sex?
The baby's external genitals start to develop around week 13; on ultrasound, the sex can usually be seen after week 16. It isn't possible to choose the baby's sex through diet or by timing intercourse.
What is NIPT (the blood test that looks at the baby's DNA)?
NIPT is a blood test that screens for some chromosomal differences, such as Down syndrome, by analyzing fragments of the baby's DNA in your blood. It has a higher detection rate for Down syndrome than the double test, but it's still a screening test; a high-chance result needs further tests for a definite diagnosis. It isn't part of the routine care guideline of Türkiye's Ministry of Health; talk to your doctor about whether it's right for you. This applies in Türkiye; if you live elsewhere, follow your doctor's advice and your own country's health program.
What is Rh incompatibility?
If the mother is Rh negative and the father is Rh positive, the baby may be Rh positive, and the mother's immune system can develop antibodies against the baby's blood. That's why your blood group and your partner's are checked at the first visit; if you're Rh negative, an indirect Coombs test is done and repeated at week 28. If needed, your doctor will give you a protective anti-D injection.
Meyu is an information and tracking tool; it does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment.