As recommended by specialist doctors, health checkup before pregnancy from three to six months will help prevent genetic diseases from mother to child, reduce the risk of birth defects, and manage the risk during delivery. Not only caring about periodic antenatal check-ups, women but also have their health examined before pregnancy.
1. What is an antenatal check-up?
Antenatal check-up is to examine female health before their pregnancy. This not only helps females know their current health status safe for pregnancy, but also manage hidden risks in pregnancy.
A specialist doctor will examine the status of mother’s health to advise the best time for pregnancy. Whereby, women also know their own health status to have a plan for more positive improvement.
This is an important process which helps protect mother and baby’s health in pregnancy. Nevertheless, many pregnant women underestimate and skip this procedure. They just focus on the process of prenatal care checkup.
Antenatal checkup is an essential procedure that women should do before getting pregnant
2. What do we need to prepare for a prenatal care checkup?
Prenatal care checkup is only a health checkup before having a plan of getting pregnant and having a baby. Therefore, women should not be too anxious or under psychological pressure before health checkup. You should prepare yourself for a sense of comfort to receive all information in the most objective way.
Besides, you should prepare:
– Health documents: vaccination certificate, latest medical records (showing pathological history, surgery, and procedures ever performed, and genetic diseases)
– Preparing for blood tests: women should not have a meal at least 8 hours before blood tests and had better drink water before performing tests. When having pregnancy, and routine antenatal check-up, you should memorize this preparation stage.
– Besides, the use of medications should be stopped before taking blood tests. People who are using blood pressure medication, should not pay attention to this problem.
– Drink a lot of water and try to delay a bathroom trip for ultrasound, and urinalysis. This helps the smooth process of taking urine samples.
– You should not wear jewels when having an electrocardiogram and X-ray.
– You should have an examination before or after days of the menstrual period for making the process of urine test and vaginal wet mount the most accurate.
Women should prepare some documents and medical records for doctors to better consult and support you.
3. Steps of performing prenatal care checkup
3.1. Examine indicators when having prenatal care checkup
Assessing medical indicators is the first step female should do:
– Evaluate the physical condition before getting pregnant, the doctor will examine some indicators, such as height, weight, blood pressure, and pulse.
– Next step, she will be asked about her medical history, genetic disease factors of the family and screened for birth defects in the fetus. Some birth defects need to be aware of are visual and hearing impairments, hypertension; genetic defects (hare lip and cleft palate, dislocated hip, clubfoot, and mental retardation).
In addition, understanding genetic disease factors can early detect infertility, pregnancy-getting trouble, miscarriage rates, and stillbirth.
For women who are in an ideal reproductive age (from eighteen to thirty-five years old), complications during pregnancy, and childbirth are high.
– Conduct a medical exam: doctor will examine E.N.T, heart, lung, thyroid gland, digestive system, mucosa, nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and genital organs.
– Blood test: screening hepatitis virus, social diseases, and rubella. Blood tests also help detect risk of anemia, prevent premature birth, maternal bleeding during labor, and increase the risk of postpartum infection.
– Analyze indicators through urine, and pap smear.
– Test and assess the quality of male semen.
– X-ray to examine the heart and lung: This step helps women prevent many possible complications of pregnancy caused by heart disease, asthma, pulmonary embolism, and tuberculosis. These are dangerous complications, such as premature birth, preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal respiratory failure, and venous thrombosis in pregnant women.
– Abdominal ultrasound: focus on genital organs, such as uterus, ovary,…. Right in antenatal check-ups, women should take this process.
3.2. Concluding the antenatal check-up process, and determining the suitability of pregnancy.
After having results on indicators and tests, a specialist doctor will base on these to assess the general health of the couple. Thenceforth, doctors will give directions to improve their health and advice on the right time to get pregnant.
Pregnancy requires health factors. Therefore, health checkup before pregnancy is essential. Pregnant women should choose a prestigious examination place to avoid the risk of misdiagnosis and delaying pregnancy and motherhood. Even when you are pregnant, you should follow the antenatal check-up procedure at the clinic you have chosen.
3.3. Consultation on nutrition
Besides paying attention to adjust health problems, women need to be aware of improving their nutritional status. Supplementing adequate nutrients helps the body become healthy and increase its resistance. It is essential to make you ready for pregnancy. This procedure is usually included in later antenatal check-ups.
Doctors will provide good advice that helps women have a scientific diet and rest. Possible risk of fetus, such as neural tube defects, ricketiness, and anemia can be minimized.
Adequate health checkup will prepare women for pregnancy without worrying about any problem.
There are now many women who are unaware of periodic gynecological check-up as well as antenatal check-up. If you want to prepare for a good pregnancy and be more confident about your motherhood, you should have an antenatal check-up at Thu Cuc TCI. The clinic is well equipped with a system of latest medical equipment, along with highly qualified doctors. It helps you become more confident about your pregnancy and childbirth. Thu Cuc TCI not only provides antenatal check-up service, but also has maternity packages, along with end-to-end antenatal check-up service that is more convenient for pregnant women.
