What does prenatal care include?

The essence of prenatal care is full-cycle care focusing on the health of the mother and fetus during pregnancy. The core covers several major modules from confirmation of pregnancy to physiological monitoring before delivery, daily living adjustments, psychological state intervention, and preparation for delivery. It is far from being as simple as "just going to the hospital for prenatal check-ups on time" as everyone has the inherent impression.

Last week, I met Xiao Chen, who was 28 weeks pregnant, at a charity class for pregnant mothers in the community. Her previous understanding of prenatal care was that "just do Tang screening and major ovarian cancer at the time scheduled by the doctor." She usually ate whatever she wanted at home and rarely went out because she was tired. Until the glucose tolerance test showed that her blood sugar was high and her ankle was so swollen that she couldn't move for a long time after pressing it. , she panicked and asked if there was a big problem. In fact, what she missed was the most basic home monitoring part of prenatal care - counting fetal movements daily, measuring weight regularly, and observing for abnormal abdominal pain, bleeding or edema. These contents are as important as the formal prenatal check-up in the hospital and can help detect risk signs earlier.

In addition to the monitoring and control of physiological indicators, daily dietary adjustments are also the part of prenatal care that is most closely related to ordinary people. By the way, there are a lot of controversies on the Internet about pregnancy care. For example, some people say that coffee and ice drinks must be banned during pregnancy, otherwise the child will be cold. Others say that there are no restrictions on eating whatever you want. ； Some people say that you must practice maternal yoga and climb stairs every day to have a good pregnancy. Others say that you should lie down during pregnancy to nurse your fetus, otherwise you will miscarry. In fact, both opinions are too extreme. Prenatal care is a highly individualized matter: if you have no underlying diseases, stable blood sugar and blood pressure, and no history of allergies or low-lying placenta, drinking a cup of American every day and eating ice cream occasionally is absolutely fine. Taking half an hour to walk every day is also good for weight control and smooth delivery. ； But if you have gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, or have had a history of miscarriage before, or have a low-lying placenta, you must not only strictly follow the doctor's advice on diet and sugar and salt control, but also stop exercising and get plenty of rest. There is no need to copy other people's "care templates."

Many people tend to equate prenatal care with "physical care". In fact, psychological intervention is also a particularly important aspect. I once met a pregnant mother who was 37 weeks pregnant. During that time, she had insomnia all night long. She shed tears when she thought about giving birth. She was worried about the consequences of a retrograde cesarean section and worried about the child having congenital problems. Her family always said, "You are just too busy and think too much." Until the prenatal check-up. After mentioning it to the doctor, I realized that this is a typical manifestation of prenatal anxiety. Nowadays, obstetric departments in many regular hospitals are regularly equipped with psychological counseling positions. If you really feel that your emotions are not right, don't bear it. Talking to a professional is much better than holding it in yourself.

After 36 weeks of pregnancy, the focus of prenatal care will gradually shift to preparation for labor. For example, you should know the difference in labor signs such as redness, water rupture, and regular contractions in advance, and pack up the labor bag and medical card in advance and put them in a conspicuous place. Those who plan to have a normal birth can practice Lamaze breathing in advance to relieve labor pain. Those who are sure to have a caesarean section can also ask the doctor about pre- and post-operative precautions in advance. Don’t wait until the baby is ready to pack your things in a hurry. Adults who are in a hurry are prone to accidents.

To put it bluntly, prenatal care is actually like providing pre-race protection for athletes who are about to participate in long-distance running. You need to keep an eye on various physical indicators to identify the situation, adjust your diet, rest and mental state, and prepare supplies and equipment in advance. There is no unified standard answer. The one that suits your physical condition is the best.