Community and Social Obstetrics

Antenatal Care

ANC is the care of women during pregnancy.
AIM of ANC: a healthy mother and a healthy baby at the end of pregnancy
Duration: From Conception and throughout pregnancy.

 

Objectives

1. To promote and maintain the health of the mother during pregnancy
2. To detect “high risk ” cases and give them special attention
3. To foresee complications and prevent them
4. To remove anxiety and dread associated with delivery
5. To reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity
6. To teach the mother elements of child care , nutrition , personal hygiene ,and environmental sanitation
7. To sensitize the mother to the need for family planning including advice to cases seeking medical termination of pregnancy

 

ANC Visits

1. Ideally the mother should attend the antenatal clinic once a month during the first 7 months.
2. Twice a month , during the next month.
3. And thereafter , once a week, if everything is normal .
4. Minimum of 3 visits covering the entire period of pregnancy should be the target, as shown below -
1st visit at 20 weeks or as soon as the pregnancy is known.
2nd visit at 32 weeks.
3rd visit at 36 weeks.

 

Risk Approach

1. Elderly primi (30years and over)
2. Short statured primi 140 cm and below
3. Malpresentations, viz breech, transverse lei etc. Ante partum hemorrhage, threatened abortion.
4. Preeclampsia and eclampsia.
5. Anaemia.
6. Twins, hydramnios
7. Previous still-birth, intrauterine death, manual removal of placenta.
8. Elderly grandmultiparas.
9. Prolonged pregnancy (14 days- after expected date of delivery)
10.History of previous caesarean or instrumental delivery.
11.Pregnancy associated with general diseases, viz. cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, liver disease etc.