Consulting with your doctor and getting checked while you are pregnant is vital to keeping you and your baby safe and in good health. Prenatal care is the healthcare you receive while you are pregnant. Early prenatal care refers to prenatal care that begins very early on in the pregnancy.
Importance of Early Prenatal Care
Early prenatal care is beginning your visits to your doctor as soon as you think or know you are pregnant. Your first visit to your ob-gyn should not be weeks after you find out you are pregnant but rather within days.
Women who regularly attend their prenatal appointments get many benefits, including catching risks of pregnancy complications early on, better management of existing medical conditions that may affect the pregnancy, and guidance on what to do while pregnant from beginning to end. Other benefits are the assurance of the safety of your medications, monitoring of the baby’s development, and decreasing the possibility of preterm labor.
Early prenatal care allows doctors to identify health problems early on. This allows your health care provider to treat complications sooner, if necessary, and to refer you to specialists, when necessary. For example, many women develop gestational diabetes. Catching this early on can help you control the condition better and reduce any unwanted symptoms you may be experiencing.
Your First Doctor Visit
Your doctor will assess your overall health and will review your medical history. During this visit, your doctor will also consolidate an obstetric database. The database includes different information—your blood pressure, height, weight, when your last menstrual period was, and your estimated due date. Every appointment, new information will be added to the obstetric database so that changes and developments during your pregnancy are documented.
Your doctor may also ask you to take a urinalysis, blood tests, and sexually transmitted disease tests. You may also be tested for HIV, tuberculosis, and exposure to other types of infections. These tests allow your doctor to get a thorough understanding of your health so that required medical attention, treatment, or monitoring can be done.
Caring for Yourself
Early prenatal care is not just about your baby’s health, it also extends to your wellbeing. Being pregnant is a heavy responsibility, and you may need to make changes in your lifestyle as early as possible. Early prenatal care helps you understand what your body will go through in the first trimester, what you can expect in the coming months, and what warning signs to look out for.
Early Prenatal Care at Syracuse, NY
The sooner you receive prenatal care, the better. By getting early prenatal care, you can protect yourself and your baby from possible complications later on and give yourself the peace of mind that everything is okay.
Schedule your prenatal care with the experts at University ObGYN Associates. Our doctors are committed to providing you with the best possible health care. Let us work together to ensure you have a happy and healthy pregnancy. To make an appointment, please call (315) 464-5162 or request an appointment online.
