Prenatal care refers to the health care given to a woman during pregnancy. The primary goal of prenatal care is to provide maximum health to the expectant mother and to her baby.
Thorough prenatal care ensure the birth of a healthy baby. During these prenatal visits, you will undergo certain routine tests and examinations. These are done to detect a variety of possible fetal and maternal problems. Even if you had a problem-free pregnancy in the past, you should receive prenatal care as early as possible because no two pregnancies are exactly alike, and problems do come up without a warning.
Prenatal care is not just a medical care. It also includes child birth education, counseling, support of the family and taking good care of yourself everyday. Your health provider can also direct you to services in your community that maybe helpful throughout your pregnancy.
At each prenatal visit your doctor will check on your health and the growth and well-being of your baby. Through most of pregnancy your appointments are scheduled each month. Toward the end they are scheduled every two weeks and then every week. During these visits, you should discuss all aspects of your care, and you should feel free to ask all you concerns.
You first visit for prenatal care maybe longer and more involved than in later visits. It will include a history of your health, a physical exam and laboratory tests, and setting the estimated date of your delivery or due date.
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