When Does Prenatal Care Begin?

One thing that really bothers me is when women take pregnancy advice from their friends and co-workers. Though well-intentioned, and possibly even correct, only a certified medical professional is qualified to give you advice regarding your pregnancy. Which is why I'm dumbfounded when I hear that many women are routinely led astray when asking the question: "When does prenatal care begin?"

The answer is RIGHT NOW! As soon as you know you're pregnant, or even think you might be pregnant, you need to get an appointment with a qualified prenatal care provider to determine the steps you need to take to increase the likelihood for a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby. Not doing so creates an enormous and unnecessary risk. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources states that:

Babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birth weight, and five times more likely to die, than those whose mothers received prenatal care. (http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/womeninfants/prenatal.htm).

Even though you can't see the baby through an ultrasound yet, that doesn't mean you should wait 10 to 12 weeks (as some women are advised) before beginning prenatal care. First trimester prenatal care is extremely important, as referenced in this CNN article (http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/PR/00008.html). Preventative care leads to healthy babies, and education is key -- you need to know what foods you need to eat, what vitamins you need to take, what exercises you need to do and what things you are not allowed to do (i.e., smoking) while pregnant to give your baby the best chance for survival and to reduce the chance of complications for yourself during delivery. In addition, tests must be performed on you to calculate any associated risk factors you might have.

Even if you've already had children and "know the routine," you must keep in mind that new medical advances are made all the time -- there might be a new breakthrough discovery that changes the way you prepare for childbirth, for instance -- or perhaps even your body has changed and special precautions will need to be taken during delivery.

If you do not have insurance to cover prenatal care or the money to afford it yourself, look to your state to see what prenatal care assistance programs you qualify for. And if you make too much money to qualify for such programs, contact Maternity Health and Maternity Advantage to see how you can obtain the best possible care for yourself and your child.

Prenatal care is not an option, it is a necessity.

I am PRO MOM!!!
Aaron Bouren
Advocate Aaron