What is the purpose of antenatal care during pregnancy?

Antenatal care (also called prenatal care) is the routine health care a pregnant woman receives throughout her pregnancy. Its primary purpose is to monitor the health of both the mother and the developing fetus, detect potential complications early, and provide guidance on nutrition, exercise, and preparation for delivery.

During antenatal visits, healthcare professionals carry out a range of checks including blood pressure monitoring, urine analysis, blood tests, ultrasound scans, measurement of fundal height, and monitoring of fetal heart rate. These assessments help identify conditions such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, anaemia, placenta praevia, and fetal growth problems at a stage when they can be managed or treated.

Antenatal care also provides an opportunity to educate the mother about healthy practices during pregnancy, birth planning, breastfeeding, and postnatal care. It is a critical component of maternal and child health services.

While determining the baby's sex may occur incidentally during an ultrasound scan, it is not the purpose of antenatal care. Deciding on the baby's name and planning the nursery are personal family decisions unrelated to medical care.