Pregnancy is exciting – you’re literally creating a human being!, but in the midst of this excitement, you must not forget to make sure you and the baby are healthy and stay that way. Many women, especially those who are already mothers, might see antenatal as a waste of time. These women assume that since their supervised first pregnancy was seamless, future ones will be the same. This is not so!
What is antenatal care?
Antenatal care is the care given by the midwife or doctor to a pregnant woman and her unborn baby to make sure they are OK. Lack of antenatal care is a major cause of preventable death among pregnant women in Nigeria.
How do I know when it’s time to register for antenatal?
As soon as you receive the news that you are pregnant, sign up for the antenatal services at your healthcare provider. You should have at least 8 antenatal sessions throughout pregnancy.
Which hospital is best to register with?
Quality of available care & affordable cost are some of the biggest factors when choosing a hospital for your maternity care. At Hygeia HMO, we are determined to make quality care available to all pregnant women and the key is our HyMat Plan. This plan covers antenatal services, monitoring & delivery at discounted rates. Click here to know more
Why do I really need to register?
Your whole body changes when you’re pregnant and there are lots of things you won’t be able to do or eat, and medications you should not take for the period. You’ll need expert knowledge to go through this phase successfully. Benefits of antenatal service includes:
- Preventing complications -some pregnant women develop complications such as hypertension and diabetes. These will be detected early and treated properly
- Providing the right information on nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding to expecting moms.
- Helping expecting parents understand and get fact-based information on pregnancy, birthing options, breastfeeding and how to care for the newborn
- Giving dads-to-be an opportunity to understand the process of pregnancy, birth and early parenting.
- Creating opportunities to meet expectant parents like you and a community to share your problems and triumphs.
But I’ve had three children; do I still need to go register for antenatal for the fourth one?
As every child is unique so is every pregnancy. You must register for antenatal for every pregnancy.
Here’s a true life example: Wani had her first pregnancy with the whole nine yards – antenatal care, supervised diets etc and she delivered a beautiful baby. She refused antenatal care after conceiving her second pregnancy though. . Six months into the pregnancy, she started complaining of a serious stomach pain and was bleeding; she had to be rushed to the hospital. After examination, her unborn child had suffered intrauterine fetal death & passed on. An evacuation was done which took a whole lot of pain and blood loss. This tragedy would most likely have been prevented if she had gotten the required care earlier.
The major aim of antenatal care is prevention. Why risk the emotional trauma & spending so much money when you can get the HyMat plan which will help protect you and your baby.
Reach out to us at www.hygeiahmo.com/hymat We’ve got you!
