Prenatal health care is a term used to describe the various health services a person receives while they are pregnant. Common examples include prenatal testing and routine checkups during pregnancy. Families are advised to learn about and begin practicing prenatal care as soon as possible. One of the first steps of prenatal care involves contacting a physician to confirm the pregnancy. Two basic elements of prenatal care are to follow the doctor’s advice on all prenatal health matters and to keep up with prenatal care for the duration of the pregnancy, without missing any checkups or appointments.
Some families may wonder if prenatal care is necessary, or if they can go through a pregnancy while only following the most basic guidelines for prenatal care. Proper prenatal care is paramount to the safety of both the mother and their child. According to the National Institutes of Health, between nine and 10 percent of women in the United States experience some type of acute maternal complication, which equates to about 14 million women each year. Complications can range from minor to severe. The absence of prenatal care can lead to more serious complications, while families who practice prenatal care can identify and treat complications before the child is born.
Individuals and families interested in getting pregnant can initiate prenatal care before pregnancy begins. This phase of prenatal care is known as preconception health. There are many different elements of prenatal care, ranging from eating a healthier diet to testing for potential risk factors and health conditions that could impact the pregnancy. Specific examples of preconception care include taking between 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid every day for a minimum of three months before conception, managing health issues such as asthma and diabetes, and consulting with a physician about any medications the expecting mother is taking.
Families can practice certain aspects of preconception care even if they have no immediate plans for a pregnancy. For example, there is no harm in taking folic acid supplements. Furthermore, individuals may be pregnant for several days, weeks, or even months before they realize it, meaning it may be too late to enjoy the full benefits of folic acid.
Following conception, families begin the prenatal care stage. Again, prenatal care should begin as soon as possible, even if the mother has already experienced several healthy pregnancies. Each person’s pregnancy is different, meaning individuals must regularly discuss their overall health with a doctor. Physicians can provide insight into the many different elements of prenatal health, such as foods to avoid, lifestyle changes that should be made, and how to ensure that the family’s living environment is conducive to a healthy birth.
While some women may need to see doctors more frequently, a standard prenatal health plan involves monthly visits through the first 28 weeks, bi-weekly appointments for the next nine weeks, and weekly visits for the remainder of the pregnancy. Women over the age of 35 or women who are at risk for birth complications should see their doctors more often. Individuals in their late 30s or early 40s typically give birth to healthy children but must prioritize all aspects of prenatal health.
Finally, individuals may qualify for access to reduced-cost or cost-free prenatal care. More information about prenatal health resources can be found by calling 800-311-BABY, a toll-free number that puts families in touch with the local Health Department.
