Table of Contents
- Overview
- Prevention
Prior to modern medicine, many mothers and their babies did not survive pregnancy and the birth process. Today, good prenatal care can significantly improve the quality of the pregnancy and the outcome for the infant and mother.
Good prenatal care includes:
- Good nutrition and health habits before and during pregnancy
- Frequent prenatal examinations
- Routine ultrasounds to detect problems with the baby
- Routine screening for:
- Blood pressure problems
- Blood type problems (Rh and ABO)
Diabetes - Genetic disorders, if a family history or the age of the mother presents a high risk
-
Rubella immunity - Sexually transmitted infections
Urine protein
Women who plan to continue a pregnancy to term need to choose a health care provider who will provide prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum services. Provider choices in most communities include:
- Doctors specializing in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN)
- Certified nurse midwives (CNMs)
- Family medicine physicians
- Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) or physician assistants (PAs) who work with a doctor
- Perinatologists (doctors who specialize in the very high risk pregnancy)
Family health care providers, or generalists, can help manage women throughout normal pregnancies and deliveries. If there is a problem with the pregnancy, your doctor will refer you to a specialist.
The goals of prenatal care are to:
- Monitor both the mother and baby throughout the pregnancy
- Look for changes that may lead to a high-risk pregnancy
- Explain nutritional requirements throughout the pregnancy and postpartum period
- Explain activity recommendations or restrictions
- Address common complaints that may arise during pregnancy (such as morning sickness, backaches, leg pain, frequent urination, constipation, and heartburn) and how to manage them, preferably without medications
- Give support to the pregnant woman and her family
Women who are considering becoming pregnant, or who are pregnant, should eat a balanced diet and take a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes at least 0.4 milligrams (400 micrograms) of folic acid. Folic acid is needed to decrease the risk of certain birth defects (such as spina bifida). Sometimes higher doses are prescribed if a woman has a higher than normal risk of these conditions.
Review Date: 09/11/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound,
Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of
Medicine.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
