WHAT IS PRENATAL CARE?
Prenatal care is a process of caring for a pregnant woman to ensure she and her baby remain as healthy as possible throughout pregnancy and leading up to childbirth. Prenatal care may be provided by a midwife, family practice health care provider or an obstetrical specialist. Prenatal care may include physical examinations, testing, treatments and education on nutrition, lifestyle and social support services. WHY IS PRENATAL CARE SO IMPORTANT?
Early and consistent prenatal care increases the chance that you and your baby will remain healthy throughout your pregnancy. This type of care also decreases your a baby’s risk of being born too early, or being born smaller than expected (small for gestational …show more content…
Ask what prenatal care schedule is best for you.
WHAT CAN I DO TO KEEP MYSELF AND MY BABY AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE DURING MY PREGNANCY?
There are many things you can do to make sure you and your baby remain as healthy as possible throughout your pregnancy. These can include:
• Take a prenatal vitamin containing 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid every day. o Your health care provider may ask you to take additional vitamins such as calcium, vitamin D, iron, copper and zinc.
• Make sure you are up to date on your vaccinations. Unless directed otherwise by your health care provider: o You should receive a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) vaccination between the 27th and 36th week of your pregnancy, regardless of when your last Tdap immunization occurred. This will help protect your baby from whooping cough (pertussisisus) after he or she is born.
•o You should receive an annual inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) to help protect you and your baby from influenza. This can be done at any point during your pregnancy.
• Eat a well-rounded diet that includes: o Fresh fruits and