The importance of a midwife during your pregnancy
Few people realise the important role a midwife plays during pregnancy.
Sister Samokelisiwe Buthelezi and Sister Leah Nkosi are both midwives at Far East Rand Hospital and explained how a midwife is essential during this time.
“As soon as a patient suspects she is pregnant, it is very important that she must immediately see a midwife,” says sister Nkosi.
The midwife then does a pregnancy test on the first visit to confirm pregnancy and if the test reflects positive, the midwives then do a series of different tests to see if the mother-to-be is in full health, not compromising the baby’s health.
“We assist the women by looking into their medical history and previous pregnancies and whether she is malnourished or obese,” she says.
They also do an assessment of all her vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature and hyper tension.
A urine test is done to look for any signs of infection and other diseases as this might lead to a miscarriage.
“We also educate the mother on eating a healthy diet so the baby gets all the nutrition it needs and the pregnancy can go smoothly,” says sister Buthelezi.
An HIV test is done to assert the woman’s HIV status, if the test proves to be positive, treatment will be given from 14 weeks into the pregnancy.
“If the mother is consistent with the treatment, the baby stands an extremely good chance of being born HIV negative.”
A new policy that started this year states that the midwives are also obligated to do a TB test.
All these tests and more are done on the first visit.
“It is imperative that the mother follow a healthy lifestyle for the well-being of her baby,” she says.
From the initial visit, the pregnant woman should ideally return to the midwife every four weeks for regular check-ups, but if a problem was found in any of the tests on the first visit, the woman should return every week until the matter is resolved.
The midwife monitors the mother and her baby’s vital signs to anticipate any risks, they also keep an eye on the baby’s growth and its vital signs to see if everything is in order.
The midwife continuously assists the mother until she delivers her baby.
“We provide the mother with the necessary supplements to assure she gets the required vitamins during her pregnancy,” sister Buthelezi.
