Looking After Your Health During Pregnancy

Attending every antenatal appointment is the single most important thing you can do for your baby. Most dangerous complications can be caught early if you do not miss the schedule.

The nine months of pregnancy are a time of great change in your body. Some changes are entirely normal; other signs need attention straight away. The safest rule is this: keep to your appointment schedule, and whenever something seems wrong, get checked — do not wait.

Regular antenatal check-ups

As soon as you know you are pregnant, go for a check-up to confirm how far along you are, where the pregnancy is implanted, and to have the basic tests done. Your doctor will then set an appointment schedule for you, usually with visits closer together towards the end of pregnancy.

Some important milestones to ask your doctor about so you do not miss them: the anatomy ultrasound scans, prenatal screening tests, gestational diabetes screening around the middle of pregnancy, and the tetanus vaccination.

Eating well and taking supplements

You do not need to eat for two. What matters is eating a varied diet with enough protein, green vegetables and fruit, and drinking enough water.

• Folic acid should be taken from before pregnancy and through the early months; it helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects
• Iron is needed to make blood, and iron deficiency is very common in pregnancy
• Calcium and vitamin D support the bones of both mother and baby
• Follow your doctor's prescription for the exact doses; do not buy several products and take them on top of one another

Things to avoid: alcohol, tobacco including second-hand smoke, raw or undercooked food, unpasteurised milk and juice, and large fish with a high risk of mercury contamination. Limit coffee.

Movement and rest

If your pregnancy is progressing normally and your doctor has not told you to hold back, gentle walking, swimming or exercises designed for pregnancy are all beneficial. Avoid sports with a risk of falling or collision.

Signs that mean going to hospital immediately

Do not hesitate and do not wait for your next appointment if you have any of the signs below:

• Vaginal bleeding, leaking amniotic fluid or unusual discharge
• Severe abdominal pain, or a continuously hard and tight abdomen
• Bad headache, blurred vision, spots before the eyes, rapidly increasing swelling of the face and hands — this may be pre-eclampsia
• The baby moving much less than usual, or not moving as it normally does
• High fever, or vomiting so much that you cannot eat or drink
• Difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting
• After a fall or a blow to the abdomen, even if everything seems fine

Keep the phone number and the route to the nearest maternity facility ready, along with someone who can take you there at any hour.

This information is for general reference only and does not replace advice from your doctor.

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