![]() |
![]() |
Pregnancy careInformation 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:
Women who choose to have an abortion usually do so in the very early stages of the pregnancy (usually before 12 weeks gestation). Abortion is legal through the 24th week of pregnancy. The abortion procedure, however, becomes more difficult with advancing gestational age, and many providers do not perform pregnancy terminations in the second trimester. 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:
Family health care providers, or generalists, are proficient in managing women throughout normal pregnancies and deliveries. If a problem in the pregnancy is identified, a generalist will refer the patient to obstetric specialist. The goals of prenatal care are to:
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. This level of folic acid supplement has been shown to decrease the risk of certain abnormalities (such as spina bifida). Pregnant women are advised to avoid all medications, unless the medications are necessary and recommended by a prenatal health care provider. Women should discuss all medication use with their providers. Pregnant women should avoid all alcohol and drug use. They should not smoke. They should avoid herbal preparations and common over-the-counter medications that may interfere with normal development of the fetus. Prenatal visits are typically scheduled:
Weight gain, blood pressure, fundal height, and fetal heart tones (as appropriate) are usually measured and recorded at each visit, and routine urine screening tests are performed. WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Page Content: pregnancy skin care; pregnancy care; pregnancy care center; care net pregnancy center; pregnancy and dental care; skin care during pregnancy; pregnancy health care; chiropractic pregnancy care; pregnancy care tip; chiropractic care during pregnancy; dental care during pregnancy; pregnancy and prenatal care; care center name pregnancy; care during pregnancy; care network pregnancy texas; nursing care plan for pregnancy; augusta care pregnancy center; pregnancy care clinic; life care pregnancy center |
![]() ![]() ![]() |