Week 27 of pregnancy — what is happening and what to do

Week 27 opens the third trimester and usually coincides with a vaccination decision and planning an ultrasound. It is a good moment to prepare for the visit where you discuss these topics and to start noting your preferences for birth. You do not have to decide anything now — just gather the material.

What to bring and prepare for the visit

A third-trimester visit is usually longer than earlier ones, because it includes measuring your belly, discussing results and talking about birth. It is worth arriving with your pregnancy notes, results and a list of questions. If you are planning a vaccination, ask how it is arranged and whether it needs a separate booking. The same goes for the ultrasound — find out where it is done and how to book. If the date falls in a week when you have other appointments, move it so they do not pile up on one day.

• Your pregnancy notes and a complete set of recent results.
• A list of the medications you take and questions since your last visit.
• A note on how your baby is moving and whether anything worries you.
• Your calendar, so you can book the next dates right away.
• Ask who issues the ultrasound referral and when.
• Check whether the facility sends a reminder about the date.

How to plan the ultrasound and vaccination

The third-trimester ultrasound and the vaccination are two things worth putting in your calendar early, because slots fill up. Ask whether the scan is done by the facility managing your pregnancy or a separate clinic, and whether you need to book it. For the vaccination, find out where it is given and which documents to bring. Write the answers down so you do not have to recall them next time. Take notes to the visit in a form that is easy to read — a few bullet points instead of a long text.

First steps toward a birth plan

It is best to start a birth plan with loose notes rather than a finished document. Write down what matters to you: contact with your baby after birth, having a loved one present, how you want to cope with pain. These points will become a conversation with your midwife. Return to the notes after every visit and add what has changed — a plan is a living document.

The rhythm of check-ups — what repeats and why

In the third trimester visits usually become more frequent, and a fixed part of them is talking about how you feel, measuring your belly and reviewing results. Some facilities do CTG then, others invite you for extra consultations. It is worth knowing which tests repeat, why they are done and when to expect a result. That way at a visit you ask about what is on your mind instead of just collecting referrals. If something in your care plan changes, ask for an explanation right away — it is then easier to arrange the coming weeks and plan work and rest.

• Note which tests repeat in the coming weeks.
• Ask why each of them is done.
• Bring results in date order.
• Note what staff say about the rest of the care plan.
• Add questions right after the visit while you still remember.

Your birth partner — first arrangements

It is worth deciding about your birth partner calmly, before any rush appears. Settle who you want beside you, whether the facility sets any conditions and what that person should know. Ask what the journey looks like at different times of day and whether you can count on help if something changes. Think about a backup plan too: who will drive you to the facility if the first person is unavailable, and who will answer the phone at night.

• Ask the facility whether having a birth partner requires any formalities.
• Settle who will drive you to hospital and by which route.
• Plan a backup in case that person is unavailable.
• Note who will inform the family.
• Tell your birth partner where you keep your documents.