Pregnancy Care:

Admin | January 9, 2012 | Pregnancy | No Comments

PREGNANCY CARE:
Giving life is powerful. It is vital; therefore the body of mother should be suitable environment for the baby to grow in while staying happy and healthy emotionally and mentally as well. Good prenatal care can significantly improve the quality of the pregnancy and the outcome for the infant and mother.

Good prenatal care includes:

  • Good nutrition and health habits before and during pregnancy
  • Frequent prenatal examinations
  • Routine ultrasounds to detect problems with the baby
  • Routine screening for:
    Blood pressure problems
    Blood type problems (Rh and ABO)
    Diabetes
    Genetic disorders, if a family history or the age of the mother presents a high risk
    Rubella immunity
    Sexually transmitted infections
    Urine protein

The goals of prenatal care are to:

  • Monitor both the mother and baby throughout the pregnancy
  • Look for changes that may lead to a high-risk pregnancy
  • Explain nutritional requirements throughout the pregnancy and postpartum period
  • Explain activity recommendations or restrictions
  • Address common complaints that may arise during pregnancy (such as morning sickness, backaches, leg pain, frequent urination, constipation, and heartburn) and how to manage them, preferably without medications
  • Give support to the pregnant woman and her family

Women who are considering becoming pregnant, or who are pregnant, should eat a balanced diet. Pregnant women are advised to avoid all medications, unless the medications are necessary and recommended by a doctor. Pregnant women should avoid all alcohol and drug use and limit caffeine intake. They should not smoke.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF PREGNANCY:
During pregnancy, body undergoes a number of changes as baby develops inside mother womb. These changes can cause various symptoms, but they aren’t usually serious. They tend to disappear during pregnancy or soon after birth, without any treatment.

Here is a list of the most common symptoms of pregnancy-

  • Missed period(amenorrhea)
  • Sore breasts
  • Tiredness
  • Needing to urinate more often
  • Morning sickness
  • Constipation
  • Weight gain
  • Backache
  • Heartburn
  • Varicose veins
  • Piles (hemorrhoids)
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Swelling in your ankles, feet and hands
  • Stretch marks
  • Bleeding gums
  • Changes in hair – become thicker and grow faster.


EXAMINATION AND INVESTIGATIONS:

  • After the detection of pregnancy some examinations and investigations should be done for healthy and safe pregnancy and for the normal birth of child without any complications.
  • Frequent prenatal examinations
  • Routine ultrasounds to detect problems with the baby
  • Routine screening for:
  • Blood pressure problems
  • Blood type problems (Rh and ABO)
  • Diabetes
  • Genetic disorders, if a family history or the age of the mother presents a high risk
  • Rubella immunity
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Urine protein

Prenatal visits are typically scheduled:

  • Every 4 weeks during the first 28 weeks of gestation
  • Every 2-3 weeks from 28 to 36 weeks gestation
  • Weekly from 36 weeks to delivery

Weight gain, blood pressure, fundal height, and the baby’s heart beat (as appropriate) are usually measured and recorded at each visit, and routine urine screening tests may be performed.

Diet:
Good nutrition and health habits before and during pregnancy are important for the development of baby. Mother needs more vitamins and minerals, especially folic acid and iron during pregnancy. Mother should eat a variety of foods from these:

Milk and dairy products: skimmed milk, yogurt, buttermilk, paneer.

Cereals, whole grains, daals, pulses and nuts

Vegetables and fruits

Meat, fish and poultry (For non-vegetarians)

Fluids: Mother should drink lots of fluids, especially water which is clean and filtered and fresh fruit juices.

Mother does not need to eat more during pregnancy. The average woman does not need extra calories during the first six months of pregnancy.

In Ayurveda classics the diet planning for a pregnant woman is given below:

MONTH DIET
1 Cold milk prepared without any medicine and diet should be cold, sweet in taste & more liquid.
2 Milk prepared with sweet group of medicines
3 Milk mixed with honey and Clarified butter(Ghee)
4 Butter extracted from milk should be taken in the dose of 10gm.
5 Clarified butter
6 Clarified butter prepared with sweet group of medicines
7 Clarified butter prepared with sweet group of medicines, Diet should be consisting of sweet and carminative articles containing a little unctuous substance and salt, followed by small draughts of water.
8 Thin milk gruel mixed with clarified butter
9 –

 

Pregnant woman should avoid these things:

The following factors tend to destroy or impair a conception that has taken place.

  • Seating on awkward, uneven and hard seats
  • Suppress the urges for flatus, urine and faces
  • Addiction to pungent and hot things in excessive measure
  • Accustomed to indulge in violent and extravagant forms of exercises
  • Travelling in very jerky carriages
  • Listening of very loud sound
  • Constantly sleeping on back or in open air
  • Consumption of alcohol
  • Excessive smoking