5 Things You Need to Know About Prenatal Care

Many women hear about the necessity of getting prenatal care to ensure a healthy pregnancy, but they comprehend why.

Prenatal care is essentially a healthcare service expectant mothers get during their pregnancy gurney. It involves gynaecology visits, diagnostic tests, screenings, counselling, and support. All of which contribute to a woman’s comfort and peace of mind. 

If you're an expectant mother, getting prenatal care from the Recommended Gynae in Singapore will be most beneficial for you for the following reasons.

Prevents Complications

Regular doctor visits during your pregnancy can help you detect irregularities early on and prevent severe complications. More specifically, prenatal care can lessen the risk of delivering a baby with health conditions. Without the proper care that you need from prenatal services, you might suffer from poor health, which can lead to further complications.

Checks Personal Health

One of the aspects of prenatal care is a regular checkup for you and your baby. During your visit to Gynae Singapore, your doctor will conduct the general tests, including blood pressure, heart rate, and weight, to assess your overall health.

However, if you're in your late 30s or early 40s, your doctor may provide you with more guidance since women at this age tend to be at a higher risk of developing complications. For this reason, visiting a gynaecologist for prenatal care is of utmost importance to ensure your health as well as the baby’s.

Gives you Proper Nutrition

Being pregnant requires certain lifestyle adjustments, especially when it comes to nutrition. Many types of food are not recommended for pregnant women because they may harm your baby. These include unpasteurised cheeses, raw meat and seafood, and alcohol, unwashed salads, and caffeine. 

Upon your visit to the Gynaecology Clinic Singapore, your doctor should inform you of the nutritional diet you need to follow to ensure your baby's normal and healthy development. Although you can find this information online, your doctor can offer you a more personalised recommendation of specific foods to include in your daily diet. 

Besides food items, your doctor can also recommend supplements you can take to boost your health throughout the nine months of your pregnancy.

Offers Appropriate Testing

To evaluate your health progression throughout your journey, your doctor might require you to take the necessary tests, such as:

• Ultrasound scan

During your prenatal visits, your gynaecologist will perform an ultrasound scan to check the development of the foetus and measure its growth. It can also be used to identify your placenta’s location.

• Urine test

A urine test is essential to trace the presence of common medical conditions in your system like diabetes, urinary tract infections, and pre-eclampsia. 

• OSCAR test

During your first trimester (between 11 to 13 weeks), you might also want to take the OSCAR test, also known as the One-Stop Clinic for Assessment of Risk, to check for signs of down syndrome in your baby.

• Oral Glucose Tolerance test

In your second trimester, you might also be required to take an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test to measure your baby's capability to manage glucose. For this test, you will be asked to drink a glucose solution. Afterwards, your blood will be drawn three times with an hour interval in between to measure your blood sugar levels. Once the test is finished, the doctor can determine if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic. They will also be able to detect if you have gestational diabetes.

• Group B streptococcus Test

In the final months of your pregnancy, your doctor might request a Group B Streptococcus test to see if you have the GBS bacteria through your vagina. Although it's generally not harmful to the mother, it can be transmitted to newborn babies during childbirth, leading to brain and lung infections.

Keeps Track of your Pregnancy

Going for prenatal visits is important because they also keep track of your child’s development. So, as an expectant mother, take advantage of prenatal care to protect you and your baby from unwanted health conditions.