PRENATAL CARE AND CHILDBIRTH

Be Good To Your Baby Before it is

Born!

Obstetrician

Doctors who specialize in pregnancy and birth

Gynecologist

1st Check Up

Medical historyBlood pressure, pulse, initial weightPelvic measurementUrine analysisBlood test

blood type anemia: condition caused by lack of iron, which

results in poor appetite, tiredness, and weakness

This is the longest check-up. The father should go to the visit too!

How Often?

1st six months – once a month

7th & 8th month – twice a month

9th month- once a week or more

Problems in Prenatal Development

What is a premature baby?

Baby that is born before their development is complete

Pregnancy was less than 36 weeksOften weigh less than 5 ½ pounds (last month of

pregnancy is when they gain most of their weight)Small size and incomplete development can make

them vulnerable to infection, lung ailments, etcFalse Labor pains is not a sign of early pregnancy

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Rh Factor

Most people are RH + = no complicationsCauses a problem to the baby when the

father is Rh+ and the mother is RH-Rh Disease: type of anemia that destroys the

baby’s red blood cells

Iron

needs more iron than usual to produce all the blood needed to supply nutrition to the placenta

FOLIC ACIDaids in the creation

of the baby's nervous system.

Folic acid can help prevent congenital defects such as, spina bifida, cleft palate or cleft lip.

Weight Gain for Mom

Suggest between 25-30 lbs eat an extra 300 calories per daymuch of the weight gain goes to the growing

baby and the tissues that support it

Physical Activity

Should be active unless told otherwise from her doctor

Avoid contact sportshelps keep weight within

normal activity, strengthens muscles used during birth, increases energy

What are some activities that would be good for a pregnant woman?

What is a miscarriage

The natural ending of a pregnancy before the embryo or fetus can survive

Miscarriage reportedly occurs in 20 percent of all pregnancies. However, according to some sources, this may be an inaccurate number. Many women, before realizing a life has begun forming within them, may miscarry without knowing it-assuming their miscarriage is merely a heavier period.

STILLBIRTH: the natural ending of a pregnancy after 20 weeks the loss happens by accident and is not the fault of the

father or mother

vaginal bleedingunusual weight gainsevere abdominal painprolonged back painincreased vaginal mucus

Ectopic Pregnancy

development of fetus outside of the uterus

Usually in the fallopian tubes

This cannot result in a successful pregnancy

Hydrocephalus

Extra fluid that is trapped around the brain. Without treatment children rarely survive, therefore, the excess fluid is surgically removed.

What is an ultra sound?

technique using sound waves to make a video image of an unborn baby

Primary purpose of an ultra sound?

to check for health problems and fetal development

skeletal/ organ defects

AmniocentesisA sample of the

amniotic fluid surrounding an unborn baby is withdrawn with a special needle

The fluid is checked for indications of specific birth defects or other health problems

Chronic Villi Sampling

small sample of placenta is removed

test for birth defects

done earlier in pregnancy

more dangerous than amniocentesis

What is the purpose of genetic counseling?

Some defects can be predictedService that combines a knowledge of

heredity and birth defects with lab testsExplains options and riskTells parents in advance the statistical odds

that their children will have a certain disease or defect