What pregnancy care covers
Pregnancy care, also called antenatal care, is the series of check-ups you have from the time you find out you are pregnant until your baby is born. The visits track your health and your baby's growth, find problems early and prepare you for birth. Care then continues through labour, delivery and the first weeks afterwards.
Try to see a doctor as soon as you miss a period and a home test is positive, ideally within the first 12 weeks. Early registration lets the doctor date the pregnancy correctly and start folic acid if you have not already done so.
Your antenatal visits
What happens at the first visit
- The doctor asks about your last period, earlier pregnancies, illnesses, medicines and family history.
- Your height, weight and blood pressure are recorded.
- Blood and urine tests are ordered. These usually include haemoglobin, blood group, blood sugar, thyroid and tests for infections such as HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.
- An early scan may be done to confirm that the pregnancy is inside the uterus, check the heartbeat and work out the due date.
- You get advice on food, supplements, travel, work and which medicines are safe.
How often you will be seen
The national programme in India advises at least four antenatal check-ups, and the World Health Organization recommends eight or more contacts. In practice many doctors see you about once a month until 28 weeks, every two weeks until 36 weeks, and weekly after that. Your schedule may differ. At each visit your weight, blood pressure, urine and the baby's growth and heartbeat are checked.
Tests and scans by trimester
The exact list depends on your doctor and your health. This table shows what is commonly offered.
| Stage | Weeks | Commonly offered |
|---|---|---|
| First trimester | Up to 13 | Dating scan, routine blood and urine tests, NT scan with blood screening at 11 to 14 weeks |
| Second trimester | 14 to 27 | Anomaly scan at about 18 to 22 weeks, glucose test for pregnancy diabetes |
| Third trimester | 28 to 40 | Growth scans if needed, repeat haemoglobin, checks on the baby's position |
| Near the due date | 37 onwards | Weekly review, birth plan discussion, heartbeat monitoring if advised |
An ultrasound scan in pregnancy checks the baby's growth and structure. Finding out the sex of the baby before birth is illegal in India, so please do not ask for it.
Looking after yourself during pregnancy
- Take folic acid in the early months, and iron and calcium supplements as prescribed later on.
- Eat regular home-cooked meals with dal, vegetables, fruit, milk or curd, eggs or other protein. You do not need to eat for two.
- Drink enough water and wash fruit and vegetables well.
- Stay active with walking or pregnancy exercises unless your doctor has told you to rest.
- Take the tetanus vaccine doses and any other vaccines your doctor advises.
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco in any form and medicines that have not been approved by your doctor.
- Sleep on your side in the later months and note your baby's movements every day.
Mild nausea, tiredness, backache and heartburn are common. Tell your doctor if they stop you from eating or sleeping.
Planning the delivery
Discuss where and how you would like to give birth well before your due date. Delivering in a hospital or a well-equipped maternity home with trained staff is the safer choice.
Vaginal birth
Most healthy women with a single baby in the head-down position can aim for a vaginal birth. Labour may start on its own or be started with medicines, which is called induction, if the doctor feels that waiting carries more risk.
Caesarean birth
A caesarean is an operation to deliver the baby through a cut in the abdomen. It may be planned in advance, for example when the placenta is low or the baby is lying bottom first, or decided during labour if you or the baby show signs of trouble. The decision rests on medical reasons that your doctor should explain to you.
Pain relief in labour
Options can include breathing techniques, movement, warm water, injections and an epidural, which is an injection in the lower back. Not every hospital has every option, so ask early.
Getting ready for labour
Keep your hospital bag, reports and identity documents ready from about 36 weeks. Plan your transport and decide who will come with you. Go to the hospital if you have regular painful contractions that keep getting closer together, if your water breaks, or if you see a blood-stained mucus discharge with pains. After the birth, postnatal care looks after your recovery and feeding. Costs vary by city, hospital and type of birth, so ask for a written estimate in advance.
When to see a gynecologist urgently
Contact your doctor or go to the hospital the same day if you have:
- bleeding from the vagina at any stage
- a gush or steady leak of fluid before labour is due
- severe headache, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of the face and hands
- strong pain in the abdomen that does not ease
- fever, burning while passing urine or repeated vomiting
- the baby moving much less than usual
- fits or fainting
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, twins or an earlier difficult pregnancy, you may need high-risk pregnancy care with closer monitoring.
This page is general information for readers in India. It is not medical advice. Speak to a qualified gynecologist about your own health.