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 Most women believe that prenatal care pregnancy checkups are simply ultrasound scans that keep a check on the baby`s development and calculate the due date. But what they don`t realize is that tests during pregnancy are more than keeping a tab on growth of the baby. Prenatal care is the primary concern which includes medical checkups and screening tests in order to maintain health of both the mother and the baby. Apart from that, prenatal care also entails counseling on ways to handle various phases of pregnancy. Therefore, a pregnant woman should always routinely go for regular check-ups.

During checkups, the doctor discusses various issues related to eating, sleeping, any physical activity and other dos and donts during pregnancy. Adding to that, he carries out different tests and informs about any relevant issue that one may expect during pregnancy, contractions and delivery. Sometimes, there are several risk factors that the doctor may come across while screening the mother. These factors can include just about anything from the mother`s age and medical history to her family history regarding childbirths.

At various stages of pregnancy, the doctor examines the mother for any kind of issue. These examinations include pelvic, cervix and breast exam along with other tests that determine conditions like Rh factor incompatibility and anemia. Apart from that, it`s also checked whether the mother has any allergies or is prone to any infectious disease like HIV, hepatitis B, chlamydia and syphilis as well as German measles and chickenpox. Also, her weight, blood pressure and iron level in blood are also regularly checked.

Kidney problems are at a high rise during pregnancy that`s why doctors recommend urine tests in order to detect any kind of kidney issue or UTI. If the concerned woman is over the age of 35, the risk of diabetes increases. Therefore, women with high-risk during pregnancy should get prenatal checkups frequently. For prenatal care, one has to undergo examinations including ultrasound, group B strep screening, amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and urine test.

These checkups are done every four to six weeks in order to take account of baby`s development and overall health while keeping a check on other problems that may crop up eventually. It`s imperative for every mother-to-be to fix appointments with her doctor. This will not only help her figure out any health implication that may affect pregnancy but also provide her with loads of information which will be helpful to her in maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.  

Tags : Pregnancy, Checkup, RH Factor