ANTENATAL CARE
What is antenatal care?
Antenatal care is the care you get from a health professional before your baby is born, during pregnancy. Antenatal care, also known as prenatal assessments, are aimed at improving the quality of life for both mom and baby, reducing risks and ultimately providing moms with a positive experience of pregnancy and motherhood from the get go. Antenatal care also allows you to prepare for your child and ensures a positive childbirth experience. It is recommended that once you know you are pregnant, you should start antenatal assessments with your obstetrician as soon as possible.
Why is antenatal care necessary?
Having a healthy pregnancy is the best way to ensure a positive childbirth and good start to motherhood. When it comes to your baby, you can never be too prepared. Antenatal care is beneficial to all pregnant moms as it is able to prepare you for the birth of your child, promote a positive experience of pregnancy and screen against possible risks. Not only are antenatal care appointments educational, they are beneficial for moms to make informed choices when it comes to their baby’s health care, nutrition, growth and development.
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Dr Mutanda-Musoke emphasizes the need for antenatal care and focuses her consultations on the following aspects:
- The health of you and your baby.
- How you can contribute to your overall pregnancy through nutrition and exercise recommendations.
- Identifying potential risks for your or your baby as well as exploring prevention methods for such risks.
- Antenatal screening for disease and conditions that may affect your baby.
- Your options regarding childbirth (vaginal birth or cesarean delivery).
- Your baby’s gender scanning.
Antenatal appointments with your obstetrician are also opportunities for you to ask the questions you want answers to and find out what you can expect during each trimester of your pregnancy as well as birth itself.
It is vital that you are comfortable with your obstetrician as you will be spending a lot of time visiting him or her, and will rely on this person during this critical stage in your life. When it comes to choosing the right gynaecologist and obstetrician, asides from being extremely knowledgeable in risk stratification, Dr Miriam Muthanda-Musoke is a compassionate female gynaecologist and obstetrician who strives to create a relaxed and supportive environment for her patients.
How many antenatal appointments should I attend?
Depending on your overall health and whether this is your first child or not, Dr Mutanda-Musoke will be able to give you information on how many antenatal assessments should be attended and when in your trimester they will need to be scheduled. It takes a village to raise a child, so feel free to bring your significant other, your partner, family member or friend along to your antenatal appointments.
What will happen during these antenatal assessments?
Initially your obstetrician will ask you a range of questions related to your health and history. At certain stages of your pregnancy, ultrasound scans will be done and various tests such as urine tests and blood pressure checks will be done periodically through your pregnancy.
Dr Mutanda-Musoke emphasises the need for antenatal care and focuses on risk stratification during these appointments by predicting risks, prioritizing interventions and preventing negative outcomes. A thorough risk evaluation will be done during your first antenatal appointment in which risks related to family history, previous gynaecological, obstetric or surgical history and present obstetric issues are discussed.
What if something is wrong?
Most antenatal screenings show healthy babies, however there is a chance a possible issue could be detected. Dr Mutanda-Musoke will be able to evaluate the health of your baby with the help of the ultrasound scans. If she suspects or finds that the scans show gross abnormalities with the foetus, she may run further tests such as a Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis, or refer you to a foetal specialist if there are serious abnormalities. Although rare, it could be that your baby may need surgery or special care and you may be faced with difficult decisions. This news can be very upsetting, however, Dr Mutanda-Musoke will explain your baby’s condition in detail, inform you on all your options and assist you in making the best decision for both you and baby.
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