Having a healthy pregnancy is important for every woman. If you are pregnant, you never want your baby to be under some stress. Thankfully, this is possible with good prenatal care Garden City. Keep reading to know more about why prenatal care is important:
Minimize the Risk of Complications
With good prenatal care, you reduce your risk of having pregnancy-related complications and avoid issues during delivery. You can get essential information about bodily changes that can jeopardize your health and pregnancy. Ideally, you must start prenatal care early in your pregnancy and get regular care throughout.
Those who have high-risk pregnancies should especially take prenatal care seriously. These women include those who are very young or older than 35. Also, underweight or overweight women and those who had issues with past pregnancies are at risk of complications. Past and current health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, and cancer also put pregnant women at a high risk of complications. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you must visit your doctor frequently to prevent more complications during pregnancy and delivery.
What to Expect During Your Prenatal Visits
Your first prenatal visit is about getting health information from you including past pregnancies, any diseases, and past operations. It’s important to give your doctor a complete health history, so they can give you the best care you need during your pregnancy.
In addition, your doctor may conduct a physical examination, draw out blood from you, and submit you to a urine test. Also, they may check your height, weight, and blood pressure. A breast examination, pelvic examination, and cervical examination may be performed. Your subsequent visits will include blood pressure and weight checks as well as checks on your baby’s growth and heart rate. Your doctor may also let you hear the heartbeat of your baby and ask questions regarding your pregnancy.
Moreover, your regular prenatal visits also include checks for preeclampsia, anemia, and gestational diabetes. These harmful infections may impact your health, pregnancy, and the health of your baby. Your doctor will also monitor your baby for issues that may impact their health.
Scheduling a Prenatal Visit
Prenatal visits should be scheduled as early as possible. For the majority of ob-gyns, the first prenatal appointment must be scheduled eight weeks from the last menstrual cycle. A lot of women are not aware of their pregnancy until between four to six weeks following conception. Before your visit, your doctor may order blood work.