Planning A Pregnancy or Already Expecting
Here’s What You Need to Know According to Our Health Expert
Planning a family can be an exciting phase of life. Children are a blessing and for a mother to be able to carry a child for 9 months and give birth to a healthy newborn is one of life’s greatest miracles. Preparing the mother for this day requires much effort. And the whole family can be part of it.
Our health expert Dr. Sadiah Ahsan Pal touches upon the health essentials that should be on every expecting mother’s to-do list pre and post delivery and in Episode 2 of KASHF Sehat Ka Paigham, she is here to answer your pregnancy-related questions.
- I am not pregnant yet; do I still need to take care of my health?
If a couple is planning a family, the prospective mother should already start following a diet that incorporates meat, fresh fruit and vegetables. This helps her prepare her body for bearing a child. Taking Folic acid is also essential for a prospective mother to protect the child against neural tube defects.
- I already know I am pregnant. Why should I visit the doctor?
Once you know you are pregnant, the doctor will conduct some basic tests to ensure you have a healthy pregnancy. These tests will monitor for:
- Iron deficiency Anemia.
- Thalassemia – a Thalassemia minor mother might be anemic, (have low hemoglobin)
- Blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Blood group of parents
- Mother’s weight to make sure she is healthy and how her diet can help supplement her health.
- Vitamin deficiencies can be determined through blood tests or supplements given even if no blood test is carried out.
These tests will help the doctor determine the mother and baby’s health and help prevent complications that might develop in the next few months of pregnancy.
- How often do I need to visit my doctor during pregnancy?
You must visit the doctor at least eight times in your 9-month pregnancy duration to lower any pregnancy-related risks or health complications for you and your baby.
A minimum of two ultrasounds is essential during pregnancy. First at the 3-month pregnancy marker, and then at around 20 weeks or 5th month to check that the baby is growing well, determine the size of the baby and the tentative due date.
- Which health markers will my doctor or midwife monitor?
Regular health checkups during pregnancy can help determine:
- High blood pressure can develop during pregnancy in some mothers and can be dangerous.
- Diabetes
- Protein in urine
- Low Hemoglobin or Anemia
- Blood pressure can also be monitored by a trained midwife or nurse as well.
All these conditions can be treated by a trained medical professional during pregnancy so that there are no complications during or after delivery.
A trained midwife in your area or health care provider can check whether you have any deficiencies in vitamins and minerals e.g. Vitamin D, Zinc or Iodine to make sure your body prepares for bearing a child. Folic acid is a vitamin that must be taken before or at the beginning of pregnancy to help protect the child against neural tube defects.
- When should I call my doctor?
If you have crossed your due date, the risk becomes higher for mother or baby. This can happen due to several reasons, e.g., the baby might be big in size, so it is better to plan a delivery within or near the due date.
Spotting can also occur during pregnancy. If it happens, whether the blood is brownish or bright red, fresh blood, you must visit the doctor to ensure there is no internal bleeding or risk to the mother or baby.
- What is a birth plan?
A husband or family’s involvement in the pregnancy is important and a birth plan helps get everyone involved. A birth plan might include the following:
A financial plan for expenditure, doctor’s visits, delivery, budgeting every month to save some money for the delivery and pre and post natal pre doctor’s visits, who will go to the hospital, who will look after the other children at home, a hospital bag must be prepared and packed beforehand for mother and baby essentials.
- I have given birth to a healthy baby; can I still have post delivery complications?
Bleeding during or post delivery is the leading cause of death in mothers.
Certain mothers may experience elevated blood pressure postpartum. There are often minimal symptoms of high blood pressure therefore monitoring blood pressure during pregnancy is critical to make sure the mother or baby are not in danger. Mothers die due to bleeding during delivery or post partum hemorrhage or eclampsia or hypertension during or after delivery too. Failing to monitor blood pressure during pregnancy and delivery can give rise to complications. can also develop during pregnancy. But the good news is that these conditions can be treated if diagnosed on time to avoid any risks later on. This is why it is essential to visit the doctor at least 8 times during your 9 months of pregnancy.
These complications can also develop in young mothers, so it is essential that all mothers, first time or mothers who have successive pregnancies, young or older, all follow the recommendation of timely doctor’s visits throughout their pregnancy.
For more information on how to take care of your and your baby’s health during pregnancy, watch the full podcast on KASHF Foundation’s YouTube channel.
Catch Episode 2 of Sehat Ka Paigham now on KASHF Foundation’s YouTube channel, and stay connected with us on Instagram @kashffoundation for updates on upcoming episodes!
About Sehat Ka Paigham
KASHF Foundation’s *Sehat Ka Paigham* podcast is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering women and families with essential knowledge about maternal and child health. Each episode brings together leading experts to address critical topics like breastfeeding, malnutrition, pregnancy complications, and growth stunting in children. Designed to educate and debunk myths, these eight episodic podcasts focus on providing actionable advice rooted in research conducted in rural Pakistan. With renowned host Sania Saeed at the helm, *Sehat Ka Paigham* is bridging the gap between expert insights and community awareness, ensuring healthier futures for mothers and children across the country.
