Dr Bendang Jamir
Consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CIHSR
Pregnancy is a beautiful phase in a woman’s life. Being pregnant is news of joy and happiness. Life of a woman is complete when she gets pregnant and gives birth to a healthy baby. However, extra care needs to be taken by women during pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a period when a woman is raising a fetus inside her. This is normally a period of 40 weeks or a little more than 9 months. The first three months of pregnancy is full of changes within your body. In the first three months the cells of the baby multiply very fast. You have to be very cautious and be careful. Any kind of bleeding or abdominal pain during this time must be reported to your doctor. The next three months are usually free of any complication and are most often enjoyable for the would-be mother. You can see the abdomen gradually growing in size and the movement of the baby inside your womb. In the last three months you might feel that your body is growing very heavy, heartburn and inability to eat large meals is also often experience at this stage. You may also get breathlessness while moving around. You have to be extra careful and be watchfulfor any signs such as pain in the lower abdomen, watery discharge etc as your baby may arrive anytime.
How do I know that I am pregnant?
Many women discover that they were pregnant only when miscarriage happens. As such it is very necessary for a woman to know that she is pregnant during the early stage of pregnancy to ensure that right precautions are taken to prevent miscarriages. There are some telltale signs of pregnancy that indicate the chances of being pregnant. These signs are missed menstrual periods, nausea and vomiting (morning sickness), sleepiness, food cravings, backache, frequent urination and many others.
Confirmation is done by Urine/blood test and ultrasound.
How can I determine my expected date of delivery?
You can determine your expected date of delivery by adding 9 months and 7 days to the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP)
Ultrasound Scan: expected date of delivery can also be determined by ultrasound.
Why is prenatal care important?
Pre-natal care is a checkup by a doctor before pregnancy for a woman planning to get pregnant. Proper prenatal care ensures healthy and complications free pregnancy and a healthy baby. One medicine called folic acid is essential one month prior to pregnancy to prevent certain variants of birth defects and other complication during pregnancy. Others are immunization and some important blood test.
What are high risk pregnancies?
It is important to do regular check up by a doctor because there are certain conditions called high risk pregnancies which is very dangerous both to the mother and the unborn child. It can even lead to death if not treated or taken care of at the right time. Some common ones are: High blood pressure during pregnancy, High blood sugar during pregnancy, Pregnancy in Blood group negative women, Multiple pregnancy, Abnormally located placenta with bleeding, Tubal pregnancy, Less blood (anemia), Post caesarean section pregnancy, Infection during pregnancy, Preterm or post-term pregnancy and Intrauterine growth restriction.
What are the things I am supposed to do during pregnancy?
→ Regular pregnancy check-ups by a Gynecologist: It is important for detecting any high risk pregnancies. Most of the problems are manageable if detected early.
→ Tetanus toxoid (TT) injection: 2 doses of TT injection at 6 weeks’ interval
→ Nutritional supplements like folic acid, vitamins, iron and calcium are important. Avoid self-medication
→ Adequate Rest: Do not exert your health during pregnancy and your body needs a good deal of rest too. So make sure that you reduce and avoid stress and take adequate rest.
→ Pregnancy Exercises: If you are pregnant, you are not advised to exercise as you used to do before. You will have to consult your doctor and followtheiradvice during the entire period. However, walking and some light exercises are recommended and said to be even helpful in having a normal delivery.
→ Pregnancy Diet: Taking care of the diet is very important throughout the pregnancy period. Make sure you pay attention in taking nutritious food, drink lots of water, try to avoid fast food and foods with empty calories to keep you and your child healthy. Avoid alcohol and smoking during pregnancy and try to stay away from people who smoke. Limit your tea and coffee intake as excess of caffeine results in health problem in the later life of the child. Also avoid raw and under-cooked meat, raw eggs.
→ Consult your Doctor if you have extreme weakness, swelling of feet, headache and dizziness, bleeding from birth canal, absence of fetal movement after 6 months of pregnancy, breathlessness and difficulty in passing urine.
→ Shop for maternity clothes, baby care items and prepare a maternity bag for emergency.
→ Plan for hospital delivery: Relax and take rest so that you stay prepared for the big day.it is best to deliver in a well equip hospital as there are chances of complication like heavy bleeding or infection.
Finally, remember there is no substitute for a good prenatal and antenatal care. Just take care that you follow a healthy lifestyle, a good dietary habit, regular work out and proper rest whenever and as required. Make it a point not to miss your regular appointments with your doctor, follow the advice and suggestions and get all your tests done in time. A disciplined regimen will ensure that you have a healthy and enjoyable pregnancy and a smooth delivery.
