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Prenatal Care
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When it comes to medical care and pregnancy, you can never start too early.
"The best start to having a healthy baby is to see your health-care provider before you conceive," says Richard Schwarz, M.D., an obstetrician and national consultant for the March of Dimes.
"There are lots of things you can do ahead of time," Schwarz adds. "You can make sure you're immune to rubella [German measles], you can know your blood type, you can stop smoking and make sure your diet is healthy, and you can get any illnesses you might have under control."
Once you're pregnant, your health professional – either an obstetrician, family practitioner, nurse-practitioner, or nurse-midwife will have you begin with monthly visits that increase to once a week or more at the end.
At each visit, the physician or nurse will perform a series of examinations and tests to determine the health of the mother and baby. These include measuring the growth of the uterus, listening to the baby's heartbeat, taking the mother's blood pressure and weight, and checking her urine for evidence of protein or sugar, which could be symptoms of complications. The care provider will ask the mother if she has any concerns or problems such as blurred vision, leg cramps, abdominal cramps, or unusual headaches. The mother may also undergo ultrasound and genetic tests during the pregnancy.
Although prenatal visits may seem simple and even mundane, their importance can't be overestimated. Years of research have shown that pregnant women who get adequate prenatal care are more likely to have healthy babies and fewer complications during labor and recovery. Schwarz says, "We know that pregnancy outcomes are better in women with early prenatal care."
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