CHECK-UPS DURING PREGNANCY
Written by Caroline Meyer
It does not matter if this is your first or your 5th pregnancy, no two pregnancies are exactly alike. To do your best to ensure the health of yourself and your baby, you should schedule a visit with your caregivers as soon as you know you are pregnant. Whether it is your GP, your midwife or an OB/GYN, it is important that you set the milestone appointments as part of your antenatal care.
Antenatal appointments will allow your healthcare providers to do important checks to ensure your pregnancy is progressing well and that you and your baby are as healthy as can be. Potential risks can also be identified and with the right care and handling can be reduced or prevented.
These check-ups also allow you to ask questions or discuss anything pregnancy related that might be of a concern. This is especially beneficial for first time mums who may need to find out a bit more the first time about all the changes happening in their bodies. During these check-ups you can also discuss lifestyle issues such as improving your diet, quitting alcohol and tobacco or other substance abuse issues and even mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. You can speak to your carers about any other medical issues you may have or problems that could affect your or your baby.
You can choose who you wish to approach for your antenatal visits. You can meet with your usual doctor or a midwife or see your doctor before approaching a midwife if you prefer. You can discuss your birth plan with the health practitioner on the first visit and they may suggest you see a different medical professional if necessary. Depending on how or where you plan to give birth, your options may also change as to who you see for antenatal check-ups.
During your appointments you will usually give a short medical history the first time and thereafter updates on how the time between visits have been. You will most likely have a physical check-up and at some visits a scan. Other tests may be run if needed. A lot will also depend on if you have had any problems, your health and that of your baby and the stage you are at in your pregnancy. Your blood pressure, urine and weight are usually checked and any further testing is done or appointments are made for the tests at a later stage. This can include blood tests, screening and so forth.
The health practitioner will usually listen to the baby’s heart and measure and check your stomach as well. During scans, you may also be able to listen to your baby’s heartbeat as well as see the growth of your little one inside your uterus. You may also discuss your birth plan during these appointments and ask for referrals for antenatal classes if you wish to attend these. Any issues you are having can be discussed and further investigation done if needed. Some issues can be alleviated slightly without resorting to medication and you can receive advise for this as well. Medication should not be taken during pregnancy, even over-the-counter medication without discussing it with your doctor or midwife first.
You will most likely have around 8 to 10 antenatal appointments during your pregnancy if it is your first pregnancy. Subsequent pregnancies usually require 7 to 9 visits provided there were no issues with the previous pregnancy. For complicated pregnancies, there may be a lot more visits to ensure the health of yourself and your little one. You can also may unscheduled appointments if there is anything that is bothering you during the pregnancy and you feel the need to have a check-up due to your concerns.
You can attend these visits on your own or with a partner, family member, birth coach or friend. This is especially important if you have someone that you want to be there to support you during the actual birth. This allows them to also have all the information they need to help make the birth go smoothly and within the structure of the birth plan you wanted.
To ensure the health and welfare of your baby and yourself during pregnancy, it is important that you do attend antenatal check-ups. This can often mean life or death in some cases where a complicated pregnancy is not monitored, or the baby presents in an unusual way during labour. The check-ups can pick up on risks early on and help a birth go a lot smoother.