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South Shore Services

Call : +234 (80) 746 17023
Email : custormarcare@southshorewch.com
Address : 6b Goriola Street Off Adeola Odeku Street, VI .

pregnancy

PREGNANCY AND ANTENATAL CARE at South Shore

Discovering that you are pregnant marks the beginning of an interesting nine month journey, as you experience your baby’s growth; from two lines on a test strip to a soft and warm bundle of joy in your arms. During this period, your body will go through many changes as the baby inside of you prepares for life on the outside. The experience of pregnancy is different for each person, and can even differ with each baby that is born to the same woman! It can be an uncomplicated time, with just the presence of a bump letting you know something is going on, or a period of numerous changes – vomiting, food cravings, mood swings, wardrobe changes, swollen feet, and then just not being able to see your own feet after a while.

From the medical point of view, pregnancy is said to last for about forty weeks, calculated from the date of the last menstrual period (LMP – the first day of your last normal menstrual period), or the date of embryo transfer if the conception was by IVF) . The dates can also be determined by an early ultrasound scan. Your baby’s age is expressed in weeks (e.g 26 weeks old), and the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD or due date), is either gotten from the LMP, date of embryo transfer, or an early ultrasound scan. Your pregnancy is said to be at ‘term’, when the baby is mature enough to be born – this is usually from the end of the 37th week to the end of the 41st week. At 42 weeks, the baby is said to be post-term.

Even though you are going to do most of the work, it is important to be supported through your pregnancy by a team of medical professionals that you are comfortable with, who are experienced, compassionate, and capable of ensuring that you have a safe delivery of your baby.

Every pregnant woman must be seen at regular intervals throughout the period of her pregnancy whether or not she has any complaints, in order to verify that the baby is growing well, to diagnose any underlying diseases or complications of the pregnancy. She should also be educated about lifestyle changes, what to expect during the pregnancy, and delivery.

Generally, you will be booked (registered) for antenatal care at 12 weeks if your pregnancy is low risk or earlier if it is high risk. You will be asked detailed questions about your previous medical history, previous pregnancies and deliveries, current medications, drug and other allergies, family history, and your lifestyle. All this information is carefully documented. Blood samples will be taken for tests to determine your blood level, blood group, and genotype, and to ensure that you do not have any underlying infection. The results of these tests will determine if you will require any extra care or medications, for example if your blood level is low, you will additionally be placed on Iron tablets. If there is anything in your medical history that affects your pregnancy, it will be noted and appropriate action taken. For example, if your blood group is Rhesus negative you will receive an injection to protect your baby at 28 weeks, or if you have had a previous uterine surgery, you might need a Caesarean section for delivery.

From the time of booking till the baby is 28 weeks, you will be seen at least every four weeks; from 28 weeks to 36 weeks you will be seen every two weeks; and from 36 weeks till your baby is born, you will be seen once a week. Sometimes antenatal visits are more often than this, if there are specific concerns or other medical issues.

At every visit the following will be checked – pulse rate, blood pressure, and your weight, to monitor your progress and detect any abnormality. You will also have a urine test (urinalysis) done, as this can give a lot of information about your condition – for example raised levels of white cells, proteins, or ketones in urine can be indicative of a urinary tract infection, pre-eclampsia, and low carbohydrate levels respectively. An ultrasound scan is done at every visit to confirm that baby is growing well. Some of the things checked for include adequate amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds a baby in the womb), a normal and well positioned placenta, and a closed cervix (the neck of the womb). You will be placed on routine medications (multivitamin supplements), immunizations, and any other medication if there is a need for it. You will also attend an antenatal class with other moms-to-be, where different aspects of pregnancy, labour and delivery will be taught and discussed. Also, information on how to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate the changes in your body, and what you need to do to get ready for baby’s birth will be discussed. You will be able to share with other ladies who have similar experiences and learn some tips on how to cope.

Even though antenatal visits are pre-planned, it is important to know that you must contact your hospital if you have any complaints at any time. Sometimes, you may require an urgent review to address your complaint, so be ready to come into the hospital if the need arises. Never think that you are asking too many questions, it is better to be certain there is no need for any intervention, and the information you give about any change you experience will only help to ensure that you receive better care.

Pregnancy is measured in trimesters – the first trimester lasts from week 1 to the end of week 12, the second trimester lasts from week 13 to the end of week 27, and the third trimester lasts from week 28 to delivery.

Pregnancy Trimesters

First trimester

This is the first thirteen weeks of the pregnancy. Once fertilization has occurred and the embryo has been implanted in the wall of the uterus, the cells begin to multiply rapidly as baby begins to form. Around the sixth week, the heart begins to beat and it can be seen and heard on a scan. The head, neck, spine, genitals, and other organs also begin to form. Your body releases high amounts of hormones for all this to happen, and these hormones can cause some dramatic changes.

You may experience nausea and bouts of vomiting (‘morning sickness’), you may be unable to stand strong smells, or have heartburn, and cravings or strong dislike for certain foods. You may feel persistently tired, sleepy, and sometimes dizzy. Other possible symptoms are painful breasts and frequent urination.

You will need an ultrasound scan to confirm location, number of babies, the age of the baby and your expected delivery date. Once the heart starts beating, you can hear it from the ultrasound scanner. Also, you will be placed on multivitamin supplements – particularly Folic acid, which is a very important nutrient at this stage of baby’s development. Whatever symptom you might have can be addressed with medications. Occasionally, you might need to be admitted for a while, especially if the vomiting is quite severe and you are not able to keep anything down. If there are no other issues, you will need an antenatal visit every four weeks.

Second trimester

By the second trimester, your baby’s organs begin to mature, and the baby develops a skeleton, skin, hair, toenails, and fingernails. From around the twentieth week, you might start to feel the baby moving, but if it isn’t your first pregnancy, you may notice the movements earlier than this. An exciting event in this trimester is that you would be able to determine whether the baby is a boy or a girl from about the seventeenth to the twentieth week (unless the baby’s positioning at the time of the scan prevents this), so you can start to plan for baby things.

For most people, the nausea and vomiting begins to subside and you feel much better. As the baby grows, your belly starts to get bigger and show, and your breasts also get bigger; you would need to start adjusting your wardrobe from now. Also, skin changes can begin to show, some of which are –dark patches on the face, darkened skin, oily skin, a dark line from the navel down to the pubic area, and stretch marks. You are also at a higher risk for a urinary tract infection. Your urine will be checked at every antenatal visit, but you must inform your doctor if you have painful urination or a fever. Some ladies start to have ‘false contractions’ called Braxton-Hicks contractions. These are painless, weak, and infrequent. However, you must inform your doctor if they become painful and/or regular, to be sure it is not a sign of preterm labour.

Here, your antenatal visits are scheduled for at least four weeks apart, and you will be prescribed daily routine multivitamin supplements. During your routine scans, the doctor will monitor the length of your cervix closely, to ensure that it is not opening, so that if there is any issue, it can be detected early and managed appropriately. At 20 weeks, you will have a scan called the anatomy scan, during which the doctor will take a comprehensive look at baby’s organs to ensure that they formed normally without any defect and the placenta is in the right position. Detailed measurements will be taken to ensure that baby is growing well, and also to check for the baby’s sex. You will be given immunizations against tetanus infection. You will also get a drug to prevent malaria at 4 weeks intervals.

pregnancy

Third trimester

By the twenty eighth week, the baby’s eyes start to open, as development of the skin, skeleton, nervous system, and respiratory system continue. Babies who are born preterm as early as this have a good chance of surviving without any long term effects. By the thirty fifth week, baby starts to add on more weight and this causes the uterus to grow bigger. From the end of the thirty seventh week, your baby is now at term, and is ready to be born. In readiness for delivery, the baby starts to descend into the pelvis. Baby continues to grow and develop up till the time of birth. It is normal for a baby to be born a week or two before the due date.

By now, you are eagerly anticipating your baby’s arrival, but also trying to cope with the numerous changes your body is going through. In the third trimester, baby’s growth and weight gain mean that you are also putting on extra weight. Your breasts continue to get bigger (to prepare for breastfeeding), and your belly gets bigger too. This can cause you to feel tired a lot of the time, and you might also have backaches, swollen feet, varicose veins and heartburn. Try to get a lot of rest, eat well, and elevate your feet if they become swollen. You may begin to urinate even more often, and you might notice an increased vaginal discharge. Braxton Hicks contractions become more common in the third trimester, and baby descending into the pelvis can make you feel some ‘heaviness’ as you approach your due date. Try to get all your shopping and preparations for your baby done as early as possible, so that you are not stressed out at this time.

3rd Trimester starts from 27 weeks, you will have a second dose of the drug to prevent malaria. You will also have a blood test called a Full Blood Count done, to determine what your blood level is and rule out any infections. Your antenatal visits will now hold at least every two weeks, and from the thirty sixth week you will need to be seen every week. At the beginning of your third trimester, your doctor will discuss the type of delivery you will have, and the time of delivery (if you are going to have an induction or a planned Caesarean section). Be sure that you ask questions about anything that is not clear to you. Another Full Blood Count is done at the thirty sixth week, and your routine scans will check that the baby is growing well. You might need a vaginal examination as you approach your due date if indicated.

Pregnancy (Have A Baby at South Shore)

At South Shore Women’s & Children’s Hospital, we offer comprehensive care for expectant mothers and their babies throughout their pregnancy, during the birth and after the delivery. Read More

Caesarean Section

A Caesarean section is the surgery that is done to deliver a baby either because a vaginal delivery will be harmful to the mother or the baby, or because you have chosen not to have a vaginal delivery. Read More

Antenatal And Delivery Packages

At South Shore we offer a comprehensive antenatal care including consultation, antenatal hospital visits, scans, tests, antenatal classes and many more from as early as 12 weeks, to ensure you have a comfortable pregnancy experience with peace of mind. Read More

Labour

Labour is the period when the body gets itself ready to push out the baby and the placenta from the uterus. Read More

Epidural

In Nigeria there is now an increased awareness and acceptance of available safe and effective methods of reducing pain during labor. The most popular of these is epidural analgesia. Read More

Cervical Cerclage

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘neck of the womb’. It remains tightly closed during pregnancy, and only begins to open up and stretch when labour starts, thus allowing the baby to pass through and be delivered. Read More

Pregnancy Trimesters

First trimester

This is the first thirteen weeks of the pregnancy. Once fertilization has occurred and the embryo has been implanted in the wall of the uterus, the cells begin to multiply rapidly as baby begins to form. Around the sixth week, the heart begins to beat and it can be seen and heard on a scan. The head, neck, spine, genitals, and other organs also begin to form. Your body releases high amounts of hormones for all this to happen, and these hormones can cause some dramatic changes.

You may experience nausea and bouts of vomiting (‘morning sickness’), you may be unable to stand strong smells, or have heartburn, and cravings or strong dislike for certain foods. You may feel persistently tired, sleepy, and sometimes dizzy. Other possible symptoms are painful breasts and frequent urination.

You will need an ultrasound scan to confirm location, number of babies, the age of the baby and your expected delivery date. Once the heart starts beating, you can hear it from the ultrasound scanner. Also, you will be placed on multivitamin supplements – particularly Folic acid, which is a very important nutrient at this stage of baby’s development. Whatever symptom you might have can be addressed with medications. Occasionally, you might need to be admitted for a while, especially if the vomiting is quite severe and you are not able to keep anything down. If there are no other issues, you will need an antenatal visit every four weeks.