Every year, more than 600,000 women around the world die due to pregnancy and birth complications. It has been determined that the vast majority of these are in underdeveloped countries (1). Prenatal care, birth and postnatal care are among the basic preventive services in protecting and improving the health of both the mother and the unborn baby.
Prenatal care is the necessary examination of the mother and the baby at regular intervals throughout the entire pregnancy. and recommendations are made and followed by a trained healthcare personnel and gynecologist (an expert in normal and risky pregnancy follow-up). The recommended prenatal care schedule is every month until the 7th month of pregnancy, every two weeks until the 36th week, then every week until the 40th week, every other day after the 40th week. This means prenatal care at least 10 times during pregnancy. In our country, the Ministry of Health requires that pregnancy be detected by the 14th week and the first follow-up is carried out, and that it be monitored at least four times until birth. The number of follow-ups should be increased for those who are detected to have a risky situation for themselves or their baby. The quality of follow-up in prenatal care is also extremely important.
With these follow-ups, diseases that existed in the mother before pregnancy and risky pregnancies are determined, early diagnosis and treatment of diseases that may occur as pregnancy complications, and referral to a higher institution if necessary, are provided. The fetus is monitored in the womb, the mother is immunized against tetanus, and it is decided where, how and by whom the birth will take place. The mother is trained on nutrition, pregnancy care and cleaning, dental care, birth, postpartum care, baby care and family planning methods that she can use after birth. Prenatal check-ups such as weighing the woman regularly, monitoring her blood pressure, and performing blood tests will ensure that early precautions are taken against health problems that may occur in the mother and the baby.
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