Pregnancy Awareness Week remains pivotal to expectant moms – Specialist
Dr Maiden Mugwede said early antenatal care provides benefits such as managing existing medical conditions which can be aggravated by the pregnancy.
Life Carstenhof Hospital specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist and subspecialist gynaecology oncologist Dr Maiden Mugwede believe early antenatal care is critical to pregnant women.
Antenatal care, also known as prenatal care, is the care provided by skilled healthcare professionals to women throughout their pregnancy.
This is as the world will be commemorating Pregnancy Awareness Week, set aside by the Department of Health, to strengthen pregnancy education, as well as stressing the important issues that promote healthy pregnancy and safe motherhood. The aim of the awareness week, which runs from February 10 – 16, is to reduce the number of maternal deaths and complications from pregnancy.
Mugwede said pregnant women need to start attending antenatal care as soon as they suspect that they are pregnant, preferably within the first trimester. “Women with underlying medical conditions should ideally be seen by a clinician prior to conceiving. Early pregnancy care allows the screening and treatment of maternal medical conditions, foetal assessment including diagnosis of multiple pregnancies and congenital abnormalities,” said Mugwede.
She said early antenatal care provides various benefits including the opportunity to exclude and manage existing medical conditions which can be aggravated by the pregnancy, such as hypertension, diabetes, infections and anaemia.
According to Mugwede medical attention also gives expecting moms free HIV testing and voluntary counselling (VCT), early recognition of danger signs in pregnancy and post-delivery, birth preparedness and complication readiness. “[This also includes] self-care including nutrition and high standard of hygiene and information on the role of the father, the male partner and the family.”
However, she said, unfortunately not enough information is being shared with women to promote a healthy pregnancy. Mugwede said this was because women were booking late for their first antenatal visits.
As a result, some women encounter undiagnosed and untreated medical conditions which classify their pregnancy as high risk, hence increasing maternal and foetal risks during the pregnancy. “Most information is given when pregnant women access a health care facility through pamphlets or internet searches. It may be given by a health promotion counsellor or the attending clinician who may be a midwife, general practitioner or obstetrician.”
Asked how often expectant moms have to undergo pregnancy care in their pregnancy duration, she said pregnancy care visits will depend on whether the pregnancy is low or high risk.
Mugwede said visits are usually on a monthly basis during the early months. “[And] towards late pregnancy, the foetal surveillance increases, as well as the need to rule out maternal late onset medical complications and the visits, increase to every one to two weeks,” she concluded.
Pregnant women need to know their rights, including:
- The right of a woman to choose her companion who will provide her with support during pregnancy and childbirth, and who will accompany her to the antenatal care clinic as well as she goes into labour.
- The right of the woman to be treated with respect, dignity and confidentiality.
- The right of the woman to ask questions and also to get an explanation about her condition.
Advisable tips to first-time pregnant women:
- Book your first antenatal visit early.
- Attend all scheduled antenatal visits.
- Be aware of the pregnancy danger signs.
- Know when to call your doctor with concerns.
- Eat healthily.
- Exercise regularly but do not overdo it.
- Avoid self-medication and herbal remedies without a medical consult.
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