Pregnancy series Prenatal care 1260x542
31 Mar 2010

Pregnancy series: Prenatal care

2 mins to read
During these special months of pregnancy, visiting your healthcare professional is very important. He or she will schedule regular check-ups throughout the next nine months to monitor your progress.


During the first prenatal visit, your healthcare professional will discuss important parts of your health history that may impact on your pregnancy. These include diseases, operations and other pregnancies. There will also be questions about your family’s health history. You will have a complete physical exam, lab tests and a Pap smear. From now on, your blood pressure, urine and weight may be checked at every visit. For special genetic or medical reasons, you may need other tests, like blood tests, cultures for infections or ultrasound exams. Your healthcare professional will also answer questions about any concerns you might have.

Pregnancy typically lasts 40 weeks, counting from the first day of your last menstrual period. The first trimester lasts 12 weeks, the second from 13 to the end of 27 weeks, and the third from 28 to 40 weeks. Your healthcare professional will refer to your pregnancy by the age of the foetus in weeks and calculate your expected delivery date.

An ultrasound during pregnancy may also help to establish the date more accurately. Keep in mind that delivery up to two weeks earlier or later than the expected date is normal. Most women have follow-up visits with their healthcare professional every 4 to 6 weeks until the 28th to 30th week of pregnancy, every 2 weeks until the 36th week, and then weekly until delivery. You and your partner will also be encouraged to attend prenatal classes. It is good to be as informed as possible: read books, watch videos, go to a childbirth class and talk with experienced mums.

Nothing promotes a healthy baby like a healthy lifestyle

Your diet and lifestyle will have a great impact on the health of your baby and whether it attains an adequate birth weight. Birth weight is considered a major indicator of the health of your baby. Factors such as smoking, alcohol and a poor diet can lead to low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams), which is associated with an increased risk of ill health, and physical and neurological complications.



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