Antenatal care and what to expect - By: Brooke Pens

When a woman becomes pregnant it is necessary to receive antenatal care throughout her term to keep a check on the wellbeing of the baby and mother and it will be necessary for her to attend a number of appointments. The majority of antenatal care appointments are standard procedure; in these instances this is what can be expected:

Pregnancy guidelines suggest that women carrying their first babies should attend about 10 antenatal care appointments. When pregnant with subsequent babies and with a clean bill of good health the number of antenatal care appointments necessary to attend can drop to around seven. Subsequent pregnancies tend to generally be more straightforward especially if the mother to be and baby are healthy.

The first antenatal care appointment is referred to as a ‘booking in appointment.’ The first appointment will take place at around the 8-10 week pregnancy mark and will cover questions such as general health, previous pregnancies and family history. Any detail provided at this stage will help a midwife to form a clear picture of the full situation.

It is not uncommon to provide a blood sample and be weighed during an initial antenatal care appointment however, the decision to do this is often either a personal choice of the mother-to-be or the decision of the midwife. The midwife will discuss issues such as pregnancy lifestyle, diet, weight and provide requested information on any issues of concern that the expectant mother has.

Subsequent antenatal care appointments will be general monitoring of health and wellbeing and typically include some of the following; monitoring blood pressure, weight, urine tests, stomach checks, finding the baby’s heartbeat and discussing the movement of the people and general wellbeing of the expecting mother. At Innermost Secrets we are a team of experts specialising in all aspects of fertility and pregnancy and we are based in Spire Cardiff Hospital South Wales.

About the Author

The Article is written by innermostsecrets.com/ providing antenatal care and ultrasound scan Services. Visit http://www.innermostsecrets.com/ for more information on innermostsecrets.com/Products & Services___________________________Copyright information This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety, including live links & this copyright statement must be included. Visit innermostsecrets.com/ for more services!

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