VITAL STATS: A number of pregnancy complications can be prevented with good prenatal care

By: By Ava Roberts, RN | SCNow
Published: July 20, 2010

Babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight and five times more likely to die than those with mothers who received the proper care. The national average of women who receive prenatal care is 83.7 percent, whereas the South Carolina average is 77.5 percent. With such a drastic difference in averages, it is extremely important for South Carolina women to learn about and begin receiving adequate prenatal care.

Prenatal care is specialized medical care for pregnant women. Regular checkups and prenatal testing make sure you and your developing fetus are healthy and strong. Regular ultrasounds will be performed, allowing your healthcare provider to scan and take pictures of the fetus as it develops. With low-risk pregnancies, prenatal care visits occur every four to six weeks from the first to seventh month, every two to three weeks in the eighth month and every week in the ninth month until delivery.

The first prenatal care visit is usually the longest. Your examination is very thorough including your medical history, your partner’s medical history, as well as both your families’ medical history. You will have a complete physical exam where your height, weight, blood pressure, breathing and pulse will be examined.

You will also be advised to take prenatal vitamins during your pregnancy, which are specially formulated multivitamins and minerals that make up for any nutritional deficiencies in your diet.

During early prenatal visits your healthcare provider will take the opportunity to discuss your lifestyle and habits and may suggest certain changes that may help make the pregnancy healthier for example eating healthier, cutting back on caffeine, stopping smoking and drinking or exercising regularly. The key to having a healthy baby is to also take care of your own health.

A number of pregnancy complications can be prevented with good prenatal care, nutrition and prenatal vitamins. If you believe you are pregnant, or if you plan on becoming pregnant in the near future, you should schedule a prenatal appointment with your healthcare provider.

To schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider at Marion Regional Hospital, call (843) 431-2000.