City focuses on antenatal care

THE City will place its focus on basic antenatal care during this year’s Pregnancy Awareness Week to ensure expectant mothers register themselves to monitor their pregnancy.

Pregnancy Awareness Week began yesterday and ends on February 16.

The basic antenatal care initiative is designed to register expectant women sooner rather than later to monitor their pregnancy and ensure healthy outcomes for both mother and baby.

The City’s health department aims to ensure that 65% of all expectant women register for basic antenatal care before they reach the 20-week mark.

Mayco member for community services and health Zahid Badroodien said that of the 17 819 clients who accessed basic antenatal care at City facilities in the 2017/18 financial year, 11 963 (67%) did so before their pregnancy had advanced to 20 weeks.

“Basic antenatal care focuses on the health and well-being of the expectant mother and unborn baby. The sooner women enrol in the programme, the easier it is to mitigate any potential risks to the pregnancy. It is also important to remember that a child’s development begins at conception and not after birth, so we need to invest in their development as soon as possible,” said Badroodien.

Pregnant women are encouraged to have at least eight antenatal care visits during pregnancy, starting in week 14. These visits include:

A physical examination which includes blood pressure checks, weight and urine checks.

Testing for sexually transmitted infections and screening for TB.

Blood tests and examination which includes an ultrasound (depending on the stage of the pregnancy).

Discussions about the pregnant woman’s mental health.

Answering of questions or concerns the pregnant woman or her partner might have about the pregnancy.

“Women who suspect they might be pregnant should schedule a visit with their clinic or general practitioner and, once confirmed, should sign up for antenatal care. Attending all antenatal care visits will ensure you have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby,” Badroodien said. |

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