Importance of Antenatal Care

We can say for sure that one of the most important aspects of antenatal care is it allows your healthcare provider to identify pregnancy complications early and take the right measures to manage them. Experts advise that expectant moms should sign up for antenatal care classes as soon as they find out they are pregnant.

These sessions give you the opportunity to:

• Ask questions about your pregnancy
• Learn about pregnancy stages
• Learn about common symptoms
• Ask questions about caring for yourself and the baby

Some activities during your session:

• Nutritional and dietary advice - including foods you should eat and those you should avoid completely
• Prescribe multi-vitamins to provide additional nutrients
• Perform blood and urine tests
• Measure your weight and blood pressure
• Discuss your medical history - previous pregnancy complications, and health issues you may be experiencing

Objectives

• Detect pregnancy complications
• Educate the mother on common symptoms, nutrition, hygiene, and childcare
• Educate the mother on family planning
• Help maintain the health of the mother and fetus
• Prepare the mother for childbirth

It is fine for your partner to accompany you for antennal sessions. It helps them understand your pregnancy journey better and ask any questions that may be on their minds.

Ref:

Pregnancy Birth Baby [Antenatal Care - Accessed Nov 2020]

StJohn Health [Antenatal Care Essential - Accessed Nov 2020]

Slideshare - Dr. N. Monisha [Antenatal Care - Accessed Nov 2020]