Pregnancy checks: how important is it to do? & bull; hello healthy

Are you pregnant or planning a pregnancy? Have you checked your pregnancy to a doctor? Checking yourself to a doctor during pregnancy even when you are still planning a pregnancy is very important thing to do. Pregnancy checks can support a healthy pregnancy, so that later your baby will be born healthy.

How important is prenatal care?

During pregnancy, of course you must get optimal care in order to maintain the health of you and your baby. Pregnancy examination or antenatal care (ANC) by a doctor or midwife is an effort to obtain optimal pregnancy care. Pregnant women who often have their pregnancies checked by a doctor can find out the health condition of themselves and the fetus, so that they can prevent bad things from happening to them and the fetus.

Several studies have also shown that prenatal care helps improve the health of both the mother and the fetus. Research has shown that babies of mothers who do not undergo antenatal care are three times more likely to have low birth weight and five times more likely to die than babies born to mothers who have antenatal care during pregnancy.

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What is pregnancy checkup done for?

The following are the benefits of doing a pregnancy check.

Helps prevent mothers from experiencing pregnancy complications. Pregnant women are very prone to experience complications, such as hypertension and gestational diabetes. Pregnancy checks can find out how much risk pregnant women can experience these complications. The diagnosis of these complications can also be emphasized earlier through antenatal care, so that early treatment can be done to prevent more serious complications.
Monitor the health of the fetus in the womb. Not only monitoring the health of the mother, pregnancy checks also monitor the growth and development of the fetus in the womb. The doctor can monitor the health of the fetus in real time by listening to the fetal heartbeat, checking the size and position of the uterus and fetus, and performing various abnormalities tests. Some fetal conditions that can be detected before the baby is born may be able to treat or reduce the risk.
Give mothers a wider knowledge what to do and what not to do during pregnancy. Doctors or midwives usually explain the importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy. The doctor or midwife also monitors your weight during pregnancy, so that your pregnancy remains in a healthy condition.
Help mothers prepare for birth. Not only during pregnancy, antenatal care also helps provide information about options for childbirth according to the mother's condition. In addition, it also provides knowledge on what to do after the baby is born, about breastfeeding (IMD and exclusive breastfeeding) and how to care for newborns.

How many times do I have to get prenatal care?

You can start your pregnancy checks as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. The earlier you start your pregnancy check-ups the better, so that you get more of the information you need to keep your pregnancy healthy. Some tests to detect abnormalities in the fetus, such as the test for thalassemia, should also be done before 10 weeks of pregnancy.

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Most women start their pregnancy checks in the first trimester of pregnancy. After your first visit, the doctor or midwife will arrange to see you again in the next few weeks. Usually you will be asked to make a visit once a month for the first 6 months of pregnancy. Furthermore, the frequency of your visits can be more frequent (once every two or three weeks) as the time you give birth approaches.

Pregnancy checks can also be done more frequently when:

Your pregnancy is having problems, both to you and to your fetus
You were over 35 years of age when you were pregnant. Pregnancies over 35 years of age have a higher risk of experiencing various complications.
You may be worried whether your pregnancy is progressing or not.

At least, you should get 10 prenatal checks if this is your first pregnancy. And, if you already have children, at least you have to do pregnancy checkups as much as 7 times, unless you have certain medical conditions.

What will be done during the pregnancy check-up?

At your first pregnancy check, your doctor may do a number of things, such as:

Ask about your medical history, such as a history of illness, surgery, or a previous pregnancy
Asking about your family medical history, has your family ever suffered from certain diseases?
Perform a complete physical exam, such as a pelvic exam and PAP smear
Take blood and urine for testing
Check your blood pressure, weight, and height
Calculate the date of birth of your baby
Explain to you the importance of nutrition during pregnancy (such as folic acid, calcium and iron), how you should manage your diet, and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

At the second and subsequent pregnancy checks, the doctor will check your health condition and make sure your baby is growing as expected. The doctor may:

Blood pressure check
Measure your weight
Do an ultrasound to check how your baby is growing and developing in the womb
Check your baby's heart rate

You may also be asked to take various medical tests according to your age, your or your family's medical history, or based on the results of your routine tests.

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