Prenatal care refers to the medical care recommended for women before and during pregnancy. The aim of good prenatal care is to detect any potential problems early, to prevent them if possible (through recommendations on adequate nutrition, exercise, vitamin intake etc), and to direct the woman to appropriate specialists, hospitals, etc. if necessary. The availability of routine prenatal care has played a part in reducing maternal death rates and miscarriages as well as birth defects, low birth weight, and other preventable infant problems in the developed worldcitation needed.
While availability of prenatal care has considerable personal health and social benefits, socioeconomic problems prevent its universal adoption in many developed as well as developing nations.
One prenatal practice is for the expecting mother to consume vitamins with at least 400 mcg of folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects.
Prenatal care generally consists of:
monthly visits during the first two trimesters (from week 1-28)
biweekly from 28 to week 36 of pregnancy
weekly after week 36 (delivery at week 38-40)
Physical examinations
Physical examinations generally consist of:
collection of (mother's) medical history
checking (mother's) blood pressure
(mother's) height and weight
pelvic exam
(mother's) blood and urine tests
discussion with caregiver
Ultrasound
Obstetric ultrasounds are most commonly performed during the second trimester at approximately week 20. Ultrasounds are considered relatively safe and have been used for over 35 years for monitoring pregnancy.
