Being a mom is not easy. You have to prepare many things for yourself and your upcoming baby. Are you worried about preparing for antenatal care? This article will show you the procedures of antenatal care for the complete health of your child. Antenatal care is important for pregnant women. It should be given early during pregnancy when you know yourself that you are pregnant not more than 3 months after the last menstruation. Antenatal care can ensure the health of the baby and normal pregnancy until the mother safely gives birth to a child in good health.
How to Prepare for Antenatal Care
Before you go to the hospital, the things you need to prepare for first antenatal care are ID cards of mothers and fathers, health history of childbirth, congenital disease, drug allergy and menstruation data.
Antenatal Care Process
On the first antenatal care day, you will be provided with a handbook on the procedure during pregnancy, a birth certificate, a card for the next appointment and birth programs. Besides, on the first antenatal care exam, there will be a physical examination of pregnancy to check the health of mother and baby. An obstetrician will make an antenatal care appointment for examination.
A mother with gestational age less than 14 weeks will be received the blood and urine tests to assess the health of the body including various infections 1 time/month for antenatal care examination.
Antenatal care for 15 -28 weeks gestational age, you will have an antenatal care appointment 1 time/month to check the blood, urine and screening for gestational diabetes risk. The doctor will take amniocentesis for chromosome examination of the fetus.
In this period for your antenatal care appointment, about 20-22 weeks gestational age, you can take ultrasound examination to look at the sex and development of the baby.
In 29-42 weeks, you will have an antenatal care appointment 1 time/2 weeks to check fetal movement and get vaccinated against influenza and tetanus.
After that in antenatal care gestational age for 30 weeks, you will be asked to choose the way of delivery (natural delivery/caesarean).
Baby Delivery in Antenatal Care Process
When the delivery is due or if you have the following symptoms entering the labor period, like having labor pains every 5 minutes consecutively for 1 hour or pain along with symptoms such as walking, water flows out through the vagina in large quantities or have mucus from the vagina. You have to go to the hospital immediately to prepare for child delivery. To prepare for the birth certificate, be ready for the baby’s name, parents national ID card, house registration and marriage certificate and present it to hospital staff. On the day of delivery, father can enter the operating room or the delivery room, but must comply with the specified conditions and refrain from recording video and audio while in the operating room.
Antenatal Care After Childbirth
Antenatal care examination procedure also includes after giving childbirth. The baby must be checked for the wound (after leaving the hospital 1 week). Do not forget check amniotic fluid, work of your uterus and cervical cancer screening. You can get an advice on contraception after childbirth.