PRENATAL
Prenatal care, or medical care recommended for women before and during pregnancy, has been around for centuries. Although it has differed from century to century, the overall aim of prenatal care is and always has been to detect any problems early on in the pregnancy and prevent them if possible through nutrition, exercise, and vitamin intake, along with directing the woman to the appropriate hospital or specialty if it becomes necessary.
Prenatal care is especially important because it plays a significant role in reducing maternal death rates and miscarriages, as well as detecting birth defects, low or high birth weight, and other preventable problems. Generally, a pregnant woman will have monthly visits during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy, or the first trimester, followed by two visits a month from weeks 28 to 36 and then weekly from 38 to 40 weeks, or until delivery. During these prenatal visits, the mother can expect to provide her medical history to the health care provider, who will check her blood pressure, record her height and weight, do a pelvic exam, collect blood and urine samples, and ask any questions she may have about the pregnancy, unborn baby, or labor and delivery.
Ultrasounds or sonograms, which are considered safe and have been used for more than 35 years for monitoring pregnancy, are performed during the second and third trimesters. Ultrasounds can be used to check for more than one fetus, determine the sex of an unborn baby, and assess any possible risks to the mother, like miscarriage, a low-lying placenta, blighted ovum, ectopic pregnancy, or molar pregnancy. They are also used to find any problems in the unborn child, such as clubfoot, cleft palate, or spina bifida; determine if the baby is growing at an alarmingly slow or fast rate; check on the development of the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, stomach, skull, bones, and other fetal body parts; and check for low amniotic fluid and umbilical cord issues. Additionally, measurements and developmental progress found during an ultrasound are used to determine the estimated due date or arrival of the baby.
Any woman who is pregnant or wants to get pregnant is advised to take at least 400 mg of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, along with additional vitamins. Expectant parents can also take prenatal classes, sometimes called childbirth classes, to prepare them for the labor and birth process, find support with breastfeeding, and learn how to properly care for a newborn. Prenatal classes also provide pregnant women with relaxation techniques to be used during labor, how to spot the signs of labor, and discuss the partners role during the labor and delivery process.
Prenatal care today vs. yesterday
Prenatal care during the Victorian era used a holistic approach, relying primarily on nature to take care of their patients. Pregnant women ate a diet of cooling foods like fresh fruits and vegetables but were advised to stay away from heating foods like meat, eggs, coffee, tea, alcohol, and spices. Women were taken care of by accoucheurs, who were similar to doctors, because it was known even then that the mothers health directly affected the health of her newborn baby. Bathing in seawater and drinking mineral water were also advised to increase the mothers overall vitality and strength. Additionally, pregnant women were prescribed exercise or leisurely travel, which involved walking and other light activities without doing any strenuous exercise. If a woman had a miscarriage, she was automatically blamed for being overly active despite the exercise recommendation.
Today, prenatal care is recommended based on medical evidence that supports the suggestions validity. For example, women are told to eat a well-balanced diet with foods from each of the food groups, consume extra folic acid and fatty acids like those found in prenatal vitamins, take iron supplements during the last trimester, and keep coffee and tea down to three or four cups per day. Alcohol is still prohibited during pregnancy just like in the 19th century, while exercise like walking is still recommended. Swimming, stretching, playing golf, tennis, doing floor exercises, and practicing yoga are also highly recommended during pregnancy. It is best to reduce the activity level as the pregnancy progresses, and heavy lifting or strenuous exercises are supposed to be avoided.
