Why is antenatal care important?
- Antenatal care is the care provided to the mother and baby in the womb by an obstetrician to ensure both mother and baby have good health and safety throughout pregnancy, during childbirth, and after delivery.
When should antenatal care begin?
- Mothers should start antenatal care as soon as they know they are pregnant or no later than 12 weeks of gestation (gestational age is counted from the first day of the last menstrual period).
- However, it is best if both mother and father meet with an obstetrician before planning to have a child to prepare health-wise before pregnancy. If any health problems are found, treatment can be started promptly or preventive measures can be planned to reduce risks that may occur during pregnancy.
What are the steps of antenatal care?
- The doctor will take the medical history of both the father and the pregnant mother.
- Check the health of the mother and the baby in the womb.
- Ask about the mother’s symptoms during pregnancy, including general symptoms and any abnormalities.
- Provide advice on how to take care of oneself and the baby during pregnancy, such as diet, exercise, and rest.
- Blood tests to assess the health of the mother and father, usually done at the first antenatal visit.
- Screening for risks during pregnancy for both mother and baby, such as Down syndrome in the baby, gestational diabetes in the mother, and preeclampsia.
- Ultrasound examination of the baby in the womb.
- Provide prenatal vitamins.
- Administer necessary vaccines during pregnancy.
- Provide advice on the procedures and methods of childbirth.
- Offer advice, listen, and provide consultation on all questions that the mother and father want to know.
- Educate about symptoms that commonly occur during pregnancy, which can be both normal and abnormal.
- Additionally, the hospital caring for the mother also offers other health-related services such as
- Dental health check-ups
- Breast and nipple examinations to prepare nipples for breastfeeding
- Classes for mothers, such as holding the baby, breastfeeding training, and baby bathing
After starting antenatal care, how many times and how often should the mother see the doctor?
- Most mothers will need to have about 10-12 antenatal visits throughout pregnancy, and may need to see the obstetrician more frequently if complications arise during pregnancy. The obstetrician will schedule visits based on the risk or complications that occur.
- Normally, mothers will see the obstetrician according to their gestational age as follows:
- Gestational age less than 28 weeks: check-up every 4 weeks
- Gestational age between 28-36 weeks: check-up every 2 weeks
- Gestational age more than 36 weeks: check-up every week until delivery
When should the first pregnancy ultrasound be done?
- It is generally recommended that mothers start ultrasound to assess pregnancy at 6-8 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period to evaluate:
- The location of the pregnancy to confirm it is in the uterus
- The number of fetuses, whether single or multiple pregnancy
- The fetal heartbeat
- The size of the fetus
- Accurate gestational age and estimated due date
- The uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes to check for tumors or cysts
- In some cases, the obstetrician may recommend an earlier ultrasound if the mother has abnormal symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, or a history of ectopic pregnancy.
Dr. Adisorn Aksornpusitpong
Obstetrician, Specialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine
Women’s Health Center
Phyathai 3 Hospital
