5 Benefits of Prenatal Care You Didn't Know About

5 advantages for Prenatal Care Women's Don't Know About

prenatal care

The importance of Prenatal Care

Prenatal care isn’t just about helping women to prepare their bodies for pregnancy and the birth of their baby; it also ensures that babies are healthy and happy after they’re born. Here are five great benefits of prenatal care you may not have known about before.

1) Better birth outcomes

Women who visit prenatal clinics for regular checkups have better birth outcomes than those who don’t. Prenatal care is important for both expectant parents and their future children. Here are some ways prenatal care can benefit you 

a) Help prevent preeclampsia. 

According to The National Institutes of Health, one in every five women will develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, a condition characterized by high blood pressure that can lead to serious complications like eclampsia (seizures), preterm labor, placental abruption (the placenta detaching from the uterus), and even death. By monitoring your health regularly with prenatal visits, your doctor can spot signs of preeclampsia early on and help manage it more effectively. 

b) Monitor your baby's development. 

From ultrasounds to non-stress tests, there are many tools available at prenatal clinics that help monitor your baby's growth throughout your pregnancy—and as early as possible! This way, if there's any cause for concern about development or health issues such as Down syndrome or spina bifida, doctors can intervene sooner rather than later.

2) Help in preventing gestational diabetes

If you’re pregnant, there are a number of benefits to receiving prenatal care. In addition to ensuring that you and your baby are healthy, antenatal care can help reduce complications from gestational diabetes. More than half of women who get pregnant experience at least one complication; however, prenatal care is a powerful preventative tool that can make all the difference during your pregnancy. 

3) Reduced risk of having multiples

While many women and their partners are thrilled at the thought of having twins, triplets or more, it’s usually preferable to have a single child. With prenatal care, you have an increased chance at avoiding multiple births. Multiple pregnancies are risky for both mother and child. Twins in particular run a higher risk for birth defects and premature delivery than singletons do.

4) Increased likelihood of breastfeeding success

Newborns whose mothers get prenatal care are more likely to breastfeed exclusively for at least three months. And exclusive breastfeeding for that long has been shown to decrease risks of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), obesity, and diabetes. In other words: better health for both mother and child.

5) Increased likelihood of better health for baby in later life

Some expectant mothers receive antenatal care from a midwife, who is specially trained to provide prenatal care. Many babies are screened during pregnancy for genetic disorders, premature birth and other health problems, which may affect development in later life. If your baby has been affected by these conditions, it may be possible to help him with specialised rehabilitation if he receives intervention early enough.








Font Size
+
16
-
lines height
+
2
-