Prenatal Care

Abstract: Pregnancy, childbirth, and care of the newborn infant are the subjects of this brief, yet comprehensive prenatal care guide developed by the Public Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Aspects of pregnancy that are discussed include: 1) health professionals involved in providing proper prenatal care and suggested scheduling of prenatal visits, 2) physical and emotional changes, 3) physical development of the baby month-by-month, 4) lifestyle factors (i.e., exercises, breathing techniques, work, rest, travel, sexual relations, use of alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs, 5) nutritional requirements, 6) common discomforts (i.e. nausea, vomiting, heartburn, constipation, hemorrhoids, backache, and 7) more serious problems (i.e. miscarriage, anemia, toxemia, rubella, Rh factor). Components of the birth process include preparing for the birth, labor and delivery, and hospital stay and recovery. Topics include signs and stages of labor, medication and anesthesia, episiotomy, Cesarean section, and breech births, as well as recovery, length of hospital stay, breast care, depression, fatique, getting back into shape, and post-partum checkups. The section on caring for the newborn discusses breast and/or formula feeding, bathing, travelling, establishing a schedule, and checkups. A number of helpful figures and diagrams illustrate concepts described in the text. (aj).