PROTECT AGAINST TETANUS

As nurse or midwife we need to be sure that all pregnant women who are coming in for prenatal check-up should be injected with TT (tetanus toxoid)injection.

Every pregnant women living in an area where there is neonatal tetanus should be vaccinated against tetanus at the first antenatal visit or every pregnancy. If she has not previously had the full course of tetanus protection, she should be vaccinated again 1-2 months later, then again 6 months after that.

CARE DURING PREGNANCY

If pregnant women get even the most simple, basic and cheap antenatal care it can make their pregnancy and birth much safer. What is done during an antenatal or prenatal visit depends of the level of training on the health worker, the equipment and laboratory tests which are available to them, how often the come to visits and the health problems which are common in the area.
Antenatal care aim to :
• Develop kind and respectful relationship between the each woman and the health workers, so that she will attend for antenatal care and be more likely to talk about any problems. She many also be more accepting of any advice given.
• Find and treat any illness the woman already has.
• Identify which women can safely deliver at home or in the clinic and which women are more likely to have complications and should deliver in the hospital.
• Explain to women the danger signs that can occur during pregnancy, labour and delivery so that they seek help early.

Getting a good start

The conditions of a woman’s life affect her health and that of her children. For women to be healthy during pregnancy and childbirth they need: good nutrition, especially during childhood, several years of education (beyond primary level), respect and consideration in their home and their society.
By the time a woman becomes pregnant, many things will have happened in her life which affect her and health. For example, the food she ate as a child – the type and the amount – will make a big difference.

Prenancy is a turning point

For me, pregnancy is one of the most amazing,miraculous and wonderful things God created. It is also the most wonderful experience a woman can have.

Pregnancy is one of the turning points in a woman's life, as well as her partner's. during pregnancy a woman's body undergoes a lot of changes. She needs to understand what these changes are, and what they mean.
a pregnant woman needs the full support of her husband or partner after all, it's not just the woman's concern. It is a family concern.

Another person who plays a crucial role during the whole process of pregnancy is the midwife or the doctor. With their help, they can help make the pregnancy safer- and even joyful.

First month - Fetal Development

Did you know that the moment you missed your period that your baby is already formed? During the first 4 weeks, there are already a lot of development going on with the embryo. Brain and spinal cord starting to develop. Size is about 2mm.

The heart, no larger than a poppy seed, has been beating since day 18 when your just four days late for your menstrual period, and by 21 days it is already pumping , through its own closed circulatory system, blood whose type is different from yours.
Four weeks after fertilization, the eyes, ears and respiratory systems begins to form and your baby may even be sucking its thumb!