To ensure a healthy and successful pregnancy, the World Health Organization highly recommends that moms-to-be seek professional care as soon as they get pregnant. This care, also known as prenatal or antenatal care, is vital in making pregnancies a positive experience for mothers and in reducing the risk of stillbirths and other complications throughout pregnancy.
Get Checked—ASAP
As soon as you miss a period and confirm through a pregnancy test kit that you are indeed conceiving, you are expected to have your first antenatal visit. Most women may think this may be too soon, but early attendance is important for pregnant women for a number of reasons.
For one, there are certain conditions that you can acquire even before pregnancy that may cause certain complications, such as in the case of toxoplasmosis. This condition does not show any visible symptom, which is why it is highly important that it is identified and treated early on in pregnancy.
Aside from being able to check your baby’s condition and development, having your first trip to the gynecologist is also beneficial as it can keep tabs on your health. If you don’t regularly visit your doctor, now is the time to take control of your health.
During this visit, your blood pressure and weight will be measured, both of which are two health parameters that must be monitored and kept in the normal range in order to prevent pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and maternal obesity.
Your First Visit
During your first prenatal visit to your doctor, you can expect to be flooded with a lot of questions that are relevant to your pregnancy, including the date of your last menstruation, your pregnancy history, your medical history, if you have undergone any operation or blood transfusion, your family’s medical history, and your personal health history.
Other factors that your doctor may look into are your and your partner’s ethnicities and occupations, which can determine your baby’s risk of acquiring certain medical conditions. You can also use antenatal appointments as an opportunity to voice out your expectations and doubts about pregnancy, especially if it is your first.
During your first examination, you may expect to undergo a vaginal examination, which is a routine checkup during pregnancy. Aside from being done to confirm pregnancy, a vaginal examination is also performed to rule out the possibility of any abnormal growths or tumors in the pelvis as well as any infections that may be present in the vagina or cervix.
What to Expect
Once you have your first prenatal checkup, you will need to undergo a series of more prenatal appointments from thereon. There’s no need to worry, as this will only help keep tabs on your baby’s health and on the condition of your pregnancy.
During these appointments, you will be required to take different routine screening tests as well as certain diagnostic tests to better monitor your child’s condition inside the womb. Such exams will help determine how well your baby is developing physically or if there is a presence of possible congenital anomalies such as Down’s syndrome.
During the weeks 8 to 14 of your pregnancy, a transvaginal ultrasound scan is usually required in order to confirm the pregnancy and to estimate the due date of your baby. A transvaginal ultrasound is done with the expectant mother lying down while a special ultrasound transducer is being inserted gently into the vagina toward the cervix. This type of ultrasound scan allows a clear visualization of the uterus and ovaries through a monitor.
At weeks 18 to 20 of your gestation, an ultrasound anomaly scan will then be recommended in order to check for possible physical abnormalities. For the expecting mother, a screening test for HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis is done to reduce the risk of the infection being passed on from mother to baby. As you go along with your pregnancy, you can expect to undergo more prenatal tests and scans, but these are usually quick and painless for the mother.
How to Prepare
Transitioning into motherhood can be an overwhelming and nerve-wracking feeling, especially if it’s your first time to be one. Aside from the support that you get from your healthcare provider, there are also separate antenatal classes that you and your partner can take to prepare not only for labor and delivery but also for early parenthood.
These classes focus on both the physical and emotional preparation for the coming of your baby. It is recommended that antenatal courses cover essential topics such as changes for you and your partner, giving birth and meeting your baby for the first time, your developing baby and caring for them, your health and well-being, as well as helpful organizations that you can count on during your journey. Antenatal classes may not be compulsory, but they sure help ease soon-to-be parents who don’t know what to expect yet.
Prenatal care is an extremely important process that any expecting mother should take seriously and religiously. Aside from professional care, it is also best to seek constant support from family and loved ones during this crucial but exciting time of your life.