ANTENATAL CARE

Antenatal care is an important health care measure that seeks to ensure the safety of the mother and child during the period of pregnancy period. It is also known to many people as prenatal care. Apart from ignorance, many people see this to be a heavy on them, time wasting and all sort of misconceptions but truly life-saving is what antenatal care seeks to implement.  The introduction and adherence to this really affects the pregnancy mortality rate positively and ensures a healthy mother and child before and even after delivery.

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The world health organization recommends that pregnant women visit the doctor at least 8 times before delivery. It may seem high but it is to ensure the safety of the mother and child. from the Global UNICEF Databases of antenatal care in 2019, based on population based national household survey data and routine health systems, Sub-saharan African and Southern Asia recorded the lowest levels of antenatal care. Ghana seems to stand out with about 85 Percentage of women aged 15–49 attendance by any provider at least four times during pregnancy (ANC4).

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What ANC is involved with

Provides pregnant women with vital examinations
Conducts necessary investigations
Immunization against diseases
Supplement administration (Usually Calcium, Folic Acid and Iron)

Main objectives of ANC

• Upon providing the services listed above, ANC has the following as the main objectives:

• To promote, protect and maintain the health of the mother

• To prepare the woman for labour and lactation

• To detect any kind of risk and provide necessary care

• To get rid of anxiety associated with pregnancy and child birth

• Provision of early diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition/ complication of pregnancy

• Early planning of birth emergencies. This deals with where, how, whom blood and transport

• Attendance

• Upon conception, every mother should make it a point to visit the hospital at least three times before delivery. Pregnant women should visit the hospital at least once a within the first 4 months of the period, twice within the 8th month and every week thereafter till delivery.

•  First visit                                         

• Confirmation of pregnancy is done here since most people are not really certain about the pregnancy. Screening for high risk pregnancy is done alongside baseline investigations such as blood pressure, retro, hepatitis, Thalassemia and Sickle cell disease. Some are put on Iron and Folic Acid supplement to boost the body’s blood processing. Above all, the mother receives education on dos’ and don’ts’ associated with pregnancy.

• Second visit

• EDD or EDC is done at this stage. EDD is the Estimated Due Date, to know when the pregnant woman is likely to deliver. Certain screening tests like maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (16-18 weeks) for Neural tube effects. Rh negative women are given anti-D immunoglobulin at 28 weeks.

• Third visit

• Counsel the lady on warning signs, labour and delivery. Warning signs include: Swelling of feet, Convulsions, Sever headache, Discharge per vaginum, Severe abdominal pain and more. This is the time that birth plan is done since delivery date is due anytime from there. Assessing the adequacy of pelvis is done at this stage. This is done to check if the baby can initiate the birth canal. It alerts the need for supposed delivery, if there is any pelvic complication.

• After this, pregnant women can still visit the hospital to monitor progress of the pregnancy and fetal well-being.