Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful periods in a person’s life, but it can also be stressful and challenging if you do not prepare your body for this significant change. Prenatal care can reduce the chances of pregnancy complications, and having a labor and delivery plan is something that makes the patients a lot calmer and a lot more ready for the big day itself.

Aside from delivering the baby, doctors are responsible for their patients during the prenatal period, guiding them into the pregnancy and offering them different options and solutions to potential issues, such as high-risk pregnancies. Prenatal counseling is one of many services provided at clinics such as My OBGYN Specialists. Its main role is to guide future mothers through this wonderful period of their lives and make them feel supported and cared for.

In today’s article, we decided to deliberate in more detail on the topic of prenatal care and what options women usually choose when it comes to taking care of their bodies and preparing them for pregnancy because we are all aware that pregnancy brings many changes to women’s bodies. It needs special care and adjustments during pregnancy. 

Changes such as supplementation, exercise, resting, relaxation, delivery planning, fetal monitoring, and scheduling regular visits with your chosen doctor are all steps towards high-quality prenatal care, so continue reading to find out more. 

Pre-Prenatal Care

Sometimes even though a person is very healthy before getting impregnated, pregnancy complications are possible, which is why pregnancy is considered risky, regardless of previous circumstances. When people care for their health before, during, and after birth, they reduce the risk of complications and ensure a smoother delivery. 

People often say a healthy pregnancy equals a healthy birth and baby. To improve the chances of risk-free labor and delivery, one needs to start with something called pre-pregnancy care. This process begins before the pregnancy to prepare for a healthy one. 

Women are most often advised to do the following to ensure that the chances of a high-risk pregnancy, as well as pregnancy complications, are as low as possible:

  • Create a reproductive life plan
  • Increase the intake of folic acid to a minimum of 400 mg every day
  • Take over control of chronic conditions such as diabetes 
  • Immunization needs to be updated 
  • Avoiding weight gain 
  • Avoiding cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol 
  • Starting therapy to fight depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems 
  • Get more informed about your family’s medical history and the medical history of the baby’s father 

Prenatal Care 101

Pregnant Woman With Big Belly at Window.

When a person discovers or suspects they are pregnant, the first step is visiting their previously chosen medical provider. This person will confirm your pregnancy status and give you guidance and advice about prenatal care. Prenatal care includes, amongst other steps, regular doctor visits, which can include a physical examination, weight checks, and giving a urine sample. 

Depending on how far along you are in the pregnancy, the doctor might do an ultrasound, imaging tests, blood tests, etc. This is also a great time to ask any questions you might have about your health and maybe even talk about a labor and delivery plan with your doctor. All these checks and consultations act as preventative measures, which can help you understand how to keep the baby healthy and take care of yourself. 

Here are some additional general pieces of advice when it comes to prenatal care:

  • If you want to avoid experiencing SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and other complications, you need to stop smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Alcohol also negatively impacts the baby by increasing the risk of fetal disorders causing abnormalities in the facial features, intellect, coordination, and memory problems. Also, bones, heart, and kidneys can be affected too. 
  • To take care of themselves, pregnant patients need to have a good, healthy diet full of nutrients and healthy ingredients. Regular exercise is another important factor in harm reduction, as well as avoidance of exposure to toxic matters. Aside from helping yourself, your child will also be healthier if you follow this advice. 
  • Another important step in prenatal care is monitoring and controlling any of the pre-existing medical conditions the mother might have. These conditions can include diabetes, blood pressure, heart issues, etc., which might also negatively affect the fetus. 
  • If you are taking any medication, you must ensure it is safe when you are pregnant. Some remedies, such as dietary supplements, herbs, acne treatments, and similar, can harm the infant. 
  • As mentioned previously, taking folic acid daily is of immense importance because it directly impacts the healthy development of your baby and reduces the possibility of neural tube defects, which occur when folic acid is lacking in the mother’s system. 

Women often visit their doctors every month during the first six months, every two weeks in the last couple of months of the pregnancy, and every week when the delivery is near. As mentioned previously, during these visits, the doctor performs some checkups and tests, which let them know what the health status of both the mother and the baby. 

The visits most often include:

  • Blood pressure checks
  • Screening for HIV and anemia 
  • Weight gain control 
  • Fetal monitoring 
  • Fetal growth measurements 
  • Checking the baby’s position and making a delivery plan
  • Discussions on different pregnancy topics of interest to the patient 

What Are the Goals of Prenatal Care?

The goals of prenatal care are:

  • Reduction of pregnancy complications 
  • Ensuring proper nutrition for both the mother and the baby
  • Providing only safe medication is entering the mother’s body
  • Reduction complications for the fetus and the future baby 
  • Teaching the mother basic skills needed to take care of the baby (in some cases)

Care After Delivery 

Beautiful Newborn Baby Boy, Laying in a Small Crib Holding His Father Finger in Prenatal Hospital

Although pregnancy care is most often concentrated on caring for the mother before and during labor, it is also important to mention post-delivery care because this can be a period of very big emotional and physical changes for the woman because she needs to adjust herself to a newborn baby. 

Aside from high-quality nutrition, the mother needs:

  • To rest as much as possible to regain strength and avoid any mistakes in taking care of the infant caused by exhaustion 
  • Drink as many fluids as needed and avoid unhealthy foods and sugar.
  • To take care of the vaginal area because of soreness, delivery tears, or potential post-partum contractions 

Contact Us!

Prenatal care is, in most cases, crucial for creating conditions for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Please do not waste time; call our clinic and schedule a consultation with our experts. No one should go through pregnancy alone, so to avoid unnecessary complications, our specialists will help you create a plan and guide you through this blissful period of your life. Call us now because we are here for you!