Options Magazine » Pregnancy Information Articles

I Want A Healthy Baby

Learning More About Prenatal Health Care

Pregnancy doesn’t just go away. By the time you find out you are pregnant, your fetus will already have a brain, a spinal cord, and a heart that beats. That is why you should begin receiving prenatal care as soon as you know you are pregnant. Prenatal care is the medical help you get before your baby is born. It includes getting some general health guidelines and checkups that are very important.

Why Some Women Do Not
Denial is a typical reaction to an unplanned pregnancy and a big reason many women do not get prenatal care. Being in denial causes us to put off decisions that need to be made—especially about prenatal health care.
Fear is also a big reason women do not get prenatal care. For women without insurance coverage, the cost of the prenatal care scares them away. For others, fear of the unknown holds them back. This could be fear of what the exam will tell them or fear of what happens during the examination. They might fear that the exam results will not be kept confidential or that an exam will expose them to a lot of embarrassing questions. Fear of arrest because of illegal drug use might also be a factor. If you are holding back for any of these reasons, put them aside and have an exam. It is important to realize that this exam could mean the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy delivery for your baby and you.

How It Works
The first thing to do is choose a health care provider. That will depend in part on how specific you want to be with your exam. A general practitioner (or a family practitioner) is concerned with overall points of health, while an obstetrician (or a gynecologist) is more specifically concerned with your pregnancy and your reproductive system. If you are under 18 or over 35, or have any kind of condition that might cause complications during your pregnancy (like diabetes or sexually transmitted diseases), you may want to see a perinatologist because they specialize in pregnancies involving these kinds of problems.

Another option is a certified midwife, a registered nurse who can help you throughout your pregnancy, labor, and the birth of your baby. A clinic, hospital or health department can give you a list of local midwives.

Once you have chosen a provider, schedule that first all-important appointment. The first one always takes longer than following visits because of all the information you will need to supply. For example, your provider will need to know about previous pregnancies, if any. He or she will ask about your periods and medical history, your diet and lifestyle. You will receive a physical exam which may include taking your measurements and examining your eyes, ears, nose, throat, teeth, heart, and lungs. The doctor will also conduct a pelvic exam and may make some measurements to ensure that there is enough room for your uterus to grow.

"It can mean a safer pregnancy for you, and a healthier life for your baby"

You will get a pregnancy test and a pap smear, which tests for cervical cancer and any sexually transmitted diseases. Blood and urine tests will reveal whether you are in good health and if your kidneys are working properly.

After this first visit, you will check in about once a month for the first six to seven months, then every two weeks until the last month. Then the provider will check you once a week. It is important that you make it to each of these visits so the doctor can track your progress.

Getting good prenatal care is more than finding out whether you and your baby are ok. It can mean a safer pregnancy for you, and a healthier life for your baby.