5 BENEFITS OF REGULAR ANTENATAL VISITS
You don’t need to feel unwell to visit an obstetrician. Why? Because throughout your pregnancy, prenatal checkups are used to ensure both you and your baby are progressing as you should. It provides the opportunity for you to get answers to your questions, and the relationship you develop with your obstetrician will make you more at ease with the changes going on in your body.
Recommended Schedule for a Healthy Pregnancy
For a healthy pregnancy, your doctor will probably want to see you on the following recommended schedule of prenatal visits:
- Weeks 4 to 28: 1 prenatal visit a month
- Weeks 28 to 36: 1 prenatal visit every 2 weeks
- Weeks 36 to 40: 1 prenatal visit every week
If you’re pregnant with twins, your doctor will suggest more frequent prenatal visits. You may also need extra tests between visits, such as ultrasounds to check on each baby’s growth and amount of amniotic fluid.
The recommended schedule isn’t set in stone. Your doctor will decide how often to see you based on your individual health picture. They will want to see you more often if you had any health problems before you became pregnant or if problems develop during your pregnancy. You also may need additional tests to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy.
5 Benefits of Prenatal visits:
- To analyse the baby growth and development & Reduced risk of birth defects
Your child’s development inside the womb is a good indicator of his/her health. During prenatal appointments, your doctor examines you to see how your baby is growing. Modern technology, such as ultra-sounds is mainly used to verify the development of the child.
To reduce the risk of birth defects is prenatal care’s primary role and responsibility. Regular antenatal visits give you opportunity to timely diagnose if fetus is having any growth/structural defects or any chromosomal or genetic defects.
- Reduce the risk of complications:
While most pregnancies proceed perfectly normal, your prenatal visits will detect any potential health concerns, such as anemia, gestational diabetes or preeclampsia – which can be treated when caught early.
- Get accurate nutritional advice
Your diet will need to go through changes to accommodate for the nutritional needs of your baby. Your doctor will educate you on the recommended dietary intake for the next nine months, including how much to eat, what you should and should not eat. As eating healthy and avoiding some foods is vital for a successful pregnancy.
- Schedule appropriate testing & immunization
Depending on your age, period of gestation, medical history, and family history, your obstetrician may recommend certain tests to ensure your as well as baby’s health. Getting the right vaccines allows mothers to pass on the kinds of antibodies their baby needs to fight off infections while in the womb.
- Learn about labor and delivery
Your prenatal visits offer you the chance to discuss these procedures, potential scenarios, questions and concerns with your doctor. This includes learning about the risks and benefits of every intervention or treatment available to you.
Having guided person taking care of your health and baby development will relieve you and reduce your mental stress and assures you of a happy and safe pregnancy. Whichever stage of your pregnancy you’re in, staying educated about your body and baby’s progression is crucial for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. You should show up to your appointments armed with questions for your healthcare professional to answer.
DR VANDANA BINWAL
SENIOR CONSULTANT, OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
SWASTIK HOSPITAL AND RESEARCH CENTRE, JAIPUR
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