Standard prenatal care involves a visit early in the first trimester after pregnancy has been determined. This is an important visit, giving the physician a chance to check the mother’s overall health and identify any potential risks that might affect the pregnancy.
Blood tests performed screen for diabetes as well as infections that might harm the fetus. Urine samples are checked for protein, a sign of hypertension, and for sugar, a marker for gestational diabetes. Regular blood pressure checks help guard against potentially serious complications. Between six and eight percent of pregnant women develop high blood pressure, and it should be treated.
The baby’s heart rate can usually be picked up with ultrasound in the first trimester. Most women have an ultrasound performed around the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy and usually take home their first baby photo.
After about 17 weeks the mother can begin to feel her baby’s movements. Feeling movement each day is a sign the baby is developing.
Older women and women with certain inherited risks may be offered genetic testing or other tests to screen for Down syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease and other fetal abnormalities.
Down syndrome affects one in every 700 pregnancies, but the incidence is much higher as women age with by far the highest risk being for women who become pregnant after age 40.
Women need to be aware that some of these tests pose a small risk to the fetus, and others such as genetic testing frequently provide results that are difficult to interpret and run the risk of causing unnecessary anxiety for parents.
Early pregnancy is a good time for a physician to review the mother’s medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, to ensure they are safe for the fetus.
Most physicians will advise women to abstain from or strictly limit alcohol consumption during pregnancy. And for women who smoke this is the time to quit. Pregnancy is a good time to focus on healthy nutrition. Contrary to popular opinion, pregnancy doesn’t give women a license to eat everything in sight. A mom may be eating for two, but a good rule of thumb is to eat about an extra 300 calories per day in the second and third trimester.
For women who are overweight when they become pregnant, pregnancy is not a time to lose weight. Weight gain between 25 and 40 pounds is often recommended. Gaining more weight than that can make it difficult to get back to a healthy weight after the birth. Excess weight gain is also associated with a longer labor
Nutrient dense foods offer the best choice in pregnancy. Foods such as yogurt, peanut butter, nuts, chicken, beef, eggs and dairy products are good sources of protein, calcium and iron. Black beans and spinach provide iron and fiber; whole grains give fiber as well as B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Fruits and vegetables supply fiber as well as vitamins and cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Most women see their health professional once a month for the first seven months of a pregnancy, then every two or three weeks until the 36th week, then weekly until the birth. That usually adds up to 13 or 14 visits. One study found however, that more important than the number of visits is the amount of education and information women receive. Visits in the last trimester give your doctor a chance to check for problems that might develop. Pre-eclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication that shows up as high blood pressure and swelling, needs to be carefully monitored when it occurs.
Caring for your unborn child during pregnancy is as simple as caring for yourself. It’s a time to quit smoking if you’ve been a smoker, avoid alcohol and to be wary of any drugs, whether prescription or over-the-counter, that you put into your body. Use only medications prescribed or recommended by your doctor. Pregnancy is a time to eat well, passing up empty calories from junk food and focusing on foods rich in protein, calcium, iron and vitamins. When you consider you’re eating for two, keep the needs of that tiny second person in mind.
Michelle Herbert Thomas, PharmD, CDE—Rev. 5/12/10 TNK
Clinical Director
Richmond Apothecaries, Inc.
