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What Does Prenatal Care Offer?
If you’re pregnant or you’re thinking about having a baby in the future, chances are you’ve thought about how your life will change once your little one arrives. You’ve also probably thought about the things you’ll need to care for your new baby.
Caring for your baby actually starts before they take their first breath by paying extra attention to your health and wellness. At Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare, our board-certified providers are committed to keeping you and your baby healthy and safe throughout your pregnancy.
That’s why at our offices in Fayetteville, Newnan, and Stockbridge, Georgia, we offer a comprehensive line of obstetrical care — including prenatal services. Here’s a closer look at what’s included with prenatal services and the benefits it offers.
What’s involved in prenatal care?
Prenatal care is a medical service that involves regular checkups with your Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare provider. These visits help your provider monitor your health and the overall health and development of your growing baby.
Different prenatal visits may involve different things. Your provider gives you a physical exam, orders screenings and lab tests to catch any pregnancy-related complications early, discusses your diet to ensure you and your baby are getting the nutrients you both need, and checks your baby for birth defects at every stage.
Other things you can expect at your prenatal care visits include:
- Blood pressure and pulse checks
- Checking your weight
- STD screening
- Pelvic and breast exams
- Growth measurement of your baby
- Checking your baby’s heart rate
- Sonograms and ultrasounds
- Genetic testing
- Cord blood banking
- Treatment for pregnancy-related conditions, such as gestational diabetes
Some of these may occur at every visit, while others only happen at one or some visits. Your provider also talks with you about your labor-and-delivery plan, and they answer questions or concerns that might come up throughout your pregnancy.
Why is prenatal care important?
There’s no doubt that prenatal care helps keep you and your baby as healthy as possible during your pregnancy and delivery. In fact, research shows that when women don’t receive prenatal care, the risk of their babies having a low birth weight is three times higher, and the risk of death in utero or during birth is five times higher.
Besides lowering your risk for these complications and other pregnancy-related issues, prenatal care provides many benefits to you and your baby, including:
- Providing prenatal education
- Promoting normal fetal development through nutritional guidance
- Minimizing pregnancy-related anxiety through ongoing support
- Managing existing health conditions, such as depression or high blood pressure, in ways that are safe for you and your baby
- Partnering with you to create an effective, personalized birth plan
Prenatal care also allows your Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare provider to monitor your pregnancy and the baby’s progress to make sure any issues are discovered and treated early.
When should I start prenatal care?
If you’re not pregnant but are planning to have a baby soon, the providers at Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare recommend setting up an appointment to check for any underlying health conditions that may affect your fertility or cause problems during pregnancy.
If you know or suspect you’re pregnant, schedule a prenatal visit as soon as possible. Our team confirms your pregnancy and begins your ongoing prenatal care.
While your provider customizes your prenatal visit schedule based on your individual needs and the needs of your baby, most prenatal appointments follow this general timeline:
- Through week 28: visits every 4 weeks
- Weeks 29-36: visits every 2 weeks
- Through delivery: weekly visits
If you have a high-risk pregnancy or any underlying medical conditions, you might need to come in for prenatal visits on a more frequent basis.
To learn more about prenatal care and what this service offers, call 770-991-2200 or book an appointment online with Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare today.
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