Pre-natal care is that the would-be-mom gets from all her caregivers, like her doctor, her midwife, family, and friends. This is the time when everyone attends her carefully to keep her in the best possible way. The health care provider makes sure that the developing fetus is strong and healthy. The regular pre-natal health checkups ensure that the mother learns to manage the pregnancy discomforts, understand warning signs, and help herself better.
A healthy mother, who takes care of her own health, can only deliver a healthy baby. The healthier she is the stronger is her baby likely to be. A healthy and pleasant environment is required to keep the mother-to-be happy and healthy. Prenatal care is best given in a healthy atmosphere.
Proper prenatal care decreased risks of pregnancy and increases the possibilities of a safe and healthy delivery. Regular prenatal visits help the doctor to minutely monitor the pregnancy and recognize every potential complication before they can grow serious.
Babies born to mothers with lesser prenatal care have three times the chances of being born at a very low weight. Such babies, born with low birth weight are more likely to die than those who born with healthy birth weight. Healthy birth weight can be ensured by the proper prenatal care of the mother.
Prenatal care starts at three months prior to the mother begins to try to conceive. The body prepares itself for the gestational period at this time. The healthy habits to follow in this preconception period are:
1. Quit habits of smoking and drinking alcohol
2. Folic acid supplements consumption on a daily basis (400 to 800 micrograms)
3. Regular visits to the doctor to talk about the medical conditions, requirements of dietary supplements, and getting prescribed over-the-counter drugs that might be required to take during this period
4. Removing every toxic substances and chemical from home that could be harmful
5. Controlling levels of blood sugar and other medical conditions
6. Reaching a healthy weight
7. Getting rid of depression or anxiety, if any
Let us discuss in detail about pre-natal in details. Your doctor is the best person to guide you on this. However, the husband and the family play an important role in taking care of the mom-to-be in her gestational period. Prenatal care should be strictly composed of regular visits to the doctor. Early commencement of prenatal care is always beneficial for the mom and her baby.
Prenatal care ensures a successful and smooth pregnancy, which is essential for healthy childbirth. Pregnancy comprises a series of complications and conditions. The complications come as a package of pregnancy. The doctor who provides prenatal care identifies and treats all potential complications effectively. The doctor visits begin at regular intervals of the time period like monthly, fortnightly and weekly. As the delivery date comes closer, it perhaps reduces to twice and thrice a week.
Prenatal Care Tips
Followings are some important tips for prenatal or pregnancy care:
Series of Medical Tests: During each visit to the doctor during the gestational period, the doctor measures the body weight and checks the blood pressure level. Urine and other hormonal tests are also done to determine the body changes during this time. Each of these tests is important for the doctor to ensure the proper health of the mom and her baby. These tests monitor the body’s health and ensure that the baby is in the best possible state.
Pelvic Tests: The doctor suggests a series of pelvic tests to ensure that the organs related to pregnancy are healthy and free from any medical conditions. The test involves checking the size and shape of the uterus. It gives a clear idea of the environment of the growing baby.
Blood Tests: A series of blood tests are prescribed from time to time by the doctor to obtain information on various aspects of the mom’s health. Thus, the diet type required nutritional supplements and any other nutrient deficiency is determined. Also, gestational diabetes is a common syndrome during pregnancy. Timely blood test helps to find out any such occurrences earlier. Any treatment during the prenatal this can be done to avoid probable problems during childbirth. Apart from this, blood tests help to check anemia, which is a common syndrome during pregnancy.
Other Prenatal Care Tips:
Here are some other helpful prenatal care tips:
Healthy Diet: Multiple facets inside the body changes during pregnancy. It is the time to ensure that the life growing inside the mom is healthy and is getting every required nutrient from her. Apart from the nutrients, the mum-to-be requires energy during pregnancy to cope up with the steady changes. A wholesome diet is required in this time that comprises of vegetables, fruits, cereals, lentils, bread, dairy products, eggs, meat, and fish. A proper nutrition program should be followed as per the doctor’s prescription.
This is the time when the mother eats for herself, as well as her baby. Her nutrition should be complete in order to ensure a healthy child growing inside her.
Prenatal Vitamins: Prenatal Vitamins involves all the supplements as prescribed by the doctor. The vitamins and minerals are both for the mother and her baby’s health. The vitamins and minerals consumed during pregnancy effectively eradicate potential birth defects in the child.
Records of Weight Gain: The doctors determine the amount of weight gain required for the mum-to-be in each month of her pregnancy. Little or no weight gain can be harmful to both the mother and her baby.
Preconception Care: Preconception care is necessary for the would-be-mother, along with prenatal care to prevent pregnancy complications. These are important steps to protect the infant and ensure healthy child delivery.
Regular Prenatal Care Helps Women To:
Reduce the pregnancy complications – A healthy diet and regular exercise as per the doctor’s advice reduces the possibilities of maximum pregnancy problems and also ensures the infant’s proper development inside the womb. It controls blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Proper prenatal care avoids pre-eclampsia and many other pregnancy complications.
Keep the mood swings under control – The pregnant woman undergoes many bodily as well as hormonal changes during the gestational period. It is new for her and also difficult to cope up with the body changes. It discomforts the body and disturbs the mood. Proper prenatal care keeps the mood calmer and pleasant. It helps the new-to-be mom to adjust to the hormonal changes and keep herself composed. Ignorance or negligence during this time can severely affect her emotions, and ultimately affect the growth of her baby.
Help to ensure that the medications are safe – Certain medications, like that of acne treatments, pain killers or any dietary supplements are not safe in the gestational period. It is important for the mom-to-be to take medicines only as prescribed by the doctor. This will deny all possibilities of harm to her baby by protecting it from the side-effects, and ensure a healthy delivery
Healthy is the best way to promote a healthy birth. Early and regular prenatal attention improves the health of both the mother and her child. Consult with your doctor how to prepare yourself for the pregnancy, if you are actively planning for your pregnancy.