Pregnancy Care

Schedule of Doctor’s visit in Pregnancy

Detection of pregnancy to 28 weeks Follow up every 4 weeks (or earlier if needed)
28 weeks to 36 weeks follow up every 2 weeks (or earlier if needed)
36 weeks to delivery follow up every week (or more frequently if needed)

What can you expect at your doctors consultation?

First Trimester
Height, weight, BP, and physical examination for anemia and other medical conditions.
USG confirmation of pregnancy, viability of fetus, site, size and justification facts to rule out problems like fibroids, uterine anomalies, ovarian cysts, etc.
Blood and urine tests – CBC, Blood group and RH type, HIV, VDRL, HBsAg, HCV, Serum TSH, HbA1c, Urine routine, Urine culture and Sensitivity.
Schedule for a diet counseling with our dietician.
Usual Medication, Folic acid, medicines for nausea-vomiting and other medicines if needed.

11 weeks to 13 weeks 6 days

USG –NT NTD scan, Uterine artery Doppler.
Serum biochemical screening for aneuplodies.

18 weeks to 20 weeks

USG anomaly Scan for any major physical abnormalities, cervical length and Uterine artery Doppler
Repeat CBC and Urine routine
Inj TT – dose 1

Medicine prescription – Iron and calcium Supplements

22 to 24 weeks

USG Late Anomaly scan for face, heart and renal abnormalities.
Inj TT – dose 2
CBC, DIPSI, Urine routine, Urine culture, TSH and Free T4.

28 to 32 weeks

Interval growth ultrasound.
Repeat CBC and urine routine (ICT if Rh Negative mother).
Anti D if RH Negative blood group.

35 weeks

IGS with Doppler (if needed).

Sleep
6-8 hours good sleep at night and 1-2 hours of nap in the afternoon is desirable.

Preferably, lie down on your left side, a slight head-up position could do good in 3rd trimester.

Exercise
Exercise is considered safe when pregnant.

30 minutes of moderate exercise is safe, unless you have a complication which requires you to avoid exercise.
The doctor at Aspire would let you know.
Proper loose fitting clothes and flat, non slippery shoes are your best protection against injury.
Exercise on a flat, level surface to prevent injury.
Consume enough food and fruit that your body needs.
Finish eating at least one hour before exercising.
Drink water before, during and after your workout.
After doing floor exercise, get up slowly and gradually to prevent dizziness, since your BP tends to be low during pregnancy.
It is always advisable not to exercise to exhaustion in pregnancy. One of the measures to know your exercise tolerance would be to see if you can talk during it. If not slow down.

Stop exercising and consult your doctor if you:

Experience chest pain, abdominal or pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding.
Feel faint dizzy, nauseated or light-headed, cold or clammy.
Have vaginal bleeding or a sudden gush or trickle of fluid from the vagina.
Notice palpitation and are short of breath easily.

Nutrition
(Diet may vary with conditions like gestational diabetes)
Eat small frequent meals every 2 to 3 hours.
Drink lots of fluids (about 2-3 liters per day).
Have green leafy vegetables and pulses/dals/legumes every day.
Include lot of proteins – eggs, fish, chicken, beans, sprouts, nuts, almonds, soya bean cubes.
Iron rich foods – green leafy vegetables, brinjal, broccoli, black dates, jaggery, groundnut.
Have fruits everyday – apple, green apple, guava, pear, peach, oranges, banana, mosambi, pomegranates, etc.
Avoid spicy oily food like pickles and papads, avoid tea, coffee and soft drinks.
Include curd/yogurt/buttermilk daily in your diet.
Avoid eating raw, uncooked or undercooked foods and avoid taking fruit juices, milkshakes, fruit plate, sugarcane juice etc. at unhygienic places.

Hygiene
Change undergarments twice a day, cotton undergarments are preferable.
Clean yourself with water every time you use the washroom for a long call.
Make sure you dry thoroughly with tissue before wearing your undergarments.
Maintain good nail hygiene – keep your nails short and clean.
Maintain good oral hygiene, have a regular dental check-up.
It would be good practice to avoid using any chemicals on your skin (like bleach, hair removal creams, hair dye,etc).