Carrying a healthy pregnancy to term is every woman’s desire. But this might not be so because some complications may arise during your pregnancy, like high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Therefore, you should seek medical care during your pregnancy to help arrest such complications in good time. Luckily you can get prenatal care in Memorial City at Memorial Women’s Specialist so that your bundle of joy and you can have a pleasant journey before, during, and after birth.
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What to expect in prenatal care
During your first visit, your doctor will review both your medical and family history, record your blood pressure, heart rate, height, and your weight. Your doctor will also conduct important urine and blood tests, examine your pelvic, breast, and estimate your due date.
Prenatal follow-up appointments
If you have no complication, your doctor will recommend you to follow your prenatal schedule as follows:
- Once per month until your twenty-eighth week.
- Twice per month after every two weeks from twenty-eight weeks to thirty-six weeks.
- Once a week from thirty-six weeks until delivery.
During each checkup, your doctor will record your blood pressure, weight and measure your uterus’ shape and size if you are in the twenty-second week. Your doctor will also listen to your fetus’s heartbeat and check the position of your fetus.
A diabetes screening will be done at week 12 if your family has a history of diabetes, you are obese, or you have had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds. For all other pregnant women, diabetes screening starts at 24 to 28 weeks.
Your doctor may recommend some prenatal tests during your first, second, and third trimesters. The tests include diagnostic tests to check if the fetus has a particular problem and screening tests to disclose a problem’s likelihood.
Importance of prenatal care
When you go for prenatal care, you will get information on protecting your fetus and preventing complications for you to enjoy a healthy pregnancy. Some of the risks you can avoid includes:
Reducing your baby’s complications
Your doctor will advise you to avoid tobacco smoke or smoking and taking alcohol during your pregnancy to prevent the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and complications like fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Reducing pregnancy complication
Following your doctors’ instructions on having a healthy safe diet, avoiding exposure to radiation and lead, and regular exercising will help reduce pregnancy problems and encourage your fetus growth and development. Through prenatal care, you can help control existing conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure to avoid severe complications.
Help in taking safe medication
During pregnancy, there are some medications that you should not take, including both dietary and herbal supplements and acne treatments, because they can harm your fetus. Your doctor will ensure you are aware of any medication you should not take. In case of an ailment, you will get the proper medication without affecting your fetus.
Experts care
Going for prenatal care helps you get access to experts who, in case of any complication, can help detect it early and manage it, thus avoiding the effects.
Are you suspecting you are pregnant, do not hesitate to call or book an appointment online with Memorial Women’s Specialists for your prenatal care.