Prenatal Care for Mother and Baby Health
Written on August 14, 2007 by steven
The first clinic in the United States to give periodic care to pregnant women who were not ill, had no noticeable symptoms of problems, and were not in labor was established in Boston in 1909. Its main concern was the early detection of toxemia of pregnancy (high blood pressure with liver and kidney complications) among women who appeared healthy. These women received regular blood pressure checks, weighing, and tests of urine for protein. Because of early detection, toxemia today is not the threat to maternal life that it once was, except in countries where regular prenatal care is not available.The goals of prenatal care today, while still focused on concluding pregnancy with a healthy mother and baby, have expanded impressively. In 1989, the Expert Panel on the Content of Prenatal Care of the Public Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed the following objectives for prenatal care:
For the pregnant woman -
• to increase her well-being before, during, and after pregnancy and to improve her self-image and self-care
• to reduce maternal death and disease, fetal loss, and unnecessary medical interference in pregnancy
• to promote the development of parenting skills
For the fetus and the infant -
• to increase well-being
• to reduce prematurity, poor fetal growth, birth defects, and failure to thrive
• to reduce neurologic, developmental, and other illnesses
• to reduce child abuse and neglect, injuries, preventable acute and chronic illness, and the need for extended hospitalization after birth
For the family -
• to promote family development and positive parent-infant Interaction
• to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies
• to identify for treatment behavioral disorders leading to child neglect and family violence.
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