Medical Care During Pregnancy

Staying healthy during pregnancy depends on you, so it is crucial to arm yourself with information about the many ways to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 4 million American women give birth every year. Nearly one third of them will have some kind of pregnancy-related complication. Those who do not get adequate prenatal care run the risk that such complications will go undetected or won't be dealt with soon enough. That, in turn, can lead to potentially serious consequences for both the mother and her baby.

These statistics are not meant to alarm you, but rather to convey the importance of starting prenatal care as early as possible, ideally before you get pregnant.  Of course, this is not always possible or practical. But the sooner in your pregnancy you begin, the better your chances of ensuring your own health and that of your baby.

The following has been adapted from the websites listed at the bottom of the page.

Prenatal Care Before Getting Pregnant

Ideally, prenatal care should start If you are planning a pregnancy, see your health care provider for a complete checkup. If you are already being treated for a chronic condition, you should talk to your doctor about how it could affect your pregnancy. In some cases, you may need to change or eliminate medications, especially during the first trimester (12 weeks), to reduce risk to the fetus.

This is also a good time to talk with your health care provider about other factors that can pose a risk to your baby, such as drinking alcohol or smoking. Ask about starting a prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid, calcium, and iron.  It's especially important for women who are planning to become pregnant to take vitamins with folic acid beforehand, because neural tube defects (problems with the normal development of the spine and nervous system) happen in the first 28 days of pregnancy.

Finding Medical Care

Pregnant women are typically cared for by:

* obstetricians (doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth).
* obstetricians/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) (doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth, as well as women's health care).
* family practitioners (doctors who provide a range of services for patients of all ages - in some cases, this includes obstetrical care - instead of specializing in one area).
* certified nurse-midwives (advanced practice nurses specializing in women's health care needs, including prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for "normal" pregnancies; there are also other kinds of midwives, but you should look for one with formal training who's been certified in the field).

Your health care provider may refer you to a doctor with expertise in high-risk pregnancies if you:

* have a chronic condition like diabetes or heart problems
* have an increased risk of preterm labor
* are older than 35
* have some other complicating factor that might put you in a high-risk category

Your First Visit and Follow-up Appointments

Your first examination should take place during the first 6 to 8 weeks of your pregnancy, or when your menstrual period is 2 to 4 weeks late. Seeing your health care provider during this time will help him or her estimate the duration of your pregnancy and predict your delivery date.

During the first visit, you also can expect to provide a urine sample for testing and to have a Pap test (or smear) for cervical cancer. If you are healthy and there are no complicating risk factors, you can expect to see your health care provider every 4 weeks until the 28th week of pregnancy, then every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, and then once a week until delivery.

Throughout your pregnancy, your health care provider will check your weight and blood pressure while also checking the growth and development of your baby. During the span of your pregnancy, you will also have prenatal tests, including blood, urine, and cervical tests, and probably at least one ultrasound.

For additional information, please visit the links Prenatal Care and Prenatal Testing.

Taking Care of Yourself

For your baby's sake and yours, it's important to take especially good care of yourself during your pregnancy. Follow the basics:

* Don't smoke, drink alcohol, or take drugs.
* Get enough rest.
* Eat a healthy diet

Your health care provider will suggest weight gain guidelines and will likely prescribe a prenatal vitamin to make sure you get enough folic acid, iron, and calcium. She/he may also recommend that you do not take any over-the-counter medications or may offer a list of those they think are safe to take.

Talking to Your Health Care Provider

It is important that you call your health care provider immediately if you experience heavy bleeding, a sudden loss of fluid, a marked absence of movement by the baby once he or she has begun moving, or more than three contractions in an hour.  Please visit the link Labor and Birth.