HEALTH TEACHING DURING PERGNANCY

AIMS

 To impress upon the mother the need for regular antenatal check-up.
 To enhance the opportunities for pregnant mother to maintain the optimum health
status throughout maternity cycle.
 To provide immunisation of women against tetanus.
 To prepare the women for labor, lactation and child rearing.

Diet

- well balanced diet with vitamins and minerals, green leafy vegetables, plenty of
fluids, seasonal fruits and high iron, high protein and high calorie is advised.
- Diet should be light, nutritious and easily digestible.

Antenatal hygiene

- Daily bath
- Brushing of teeth with soft bristled toothbrush
- Any signs of infection should be reported immediately and treated accordingly.

Bowel

- Lot of oral fluids, good exercise, roughage diet including whole wheat bread, fruits,
vegetables and resins must be taken to avoid constipation.
- Regular bowel habit must be encouraged.
- Strong tea should be avoided because of constipating effect of human.
- If constipated, milk of magnesia may be ordered by doctor.

Clothing and shoes

 - Wear comfortable clothes loose maternity garments.
- Wear clothes in which mother feels inconspicuous and happy.
- Tight brassiere must be avoided as it can depress the nipples.
- A well-fitting brassiere should be recommended as in can prevent breast laxity in
future.
- Avoid wearing high heels as it can cause fatigue in maintaining good posture, and
increases the likelihood of overbalancing or stumbling, which is common in
pregnancy.

Care of breast

- Advice the mother regarding preparation for and general management of breast
feeding.
- Teach the mother how to treat conditions like inverted nipples, flat nipples.
- Teach to express the fluids coming out during bath and massage the nipples by rolling
them between the finger and the thumb during the last two months.
- Avoid use of soap on nipples.

Marital relations

- Avoid coitus during in first and last 6 weeks of pregnancy.

- There may be an increase in placental abruption rupture of membranes and amniotic
and fetal infections when intercourse has occurred in 4 weeks before delivery.
- During first trimester it may leads to threatened abortion, antepartum hemorrhage
cramping and antepartum cramping and antepartum bleeding.

Travel

- Avoid long journeys in first and last trimester. Also avoid travelling in vehicles with
jerky movements.

Rest and sleep

 - Pregnant woman should take eight hours sleep in night and two hours’ sleep in
afternoon.
- Advised her to take short periods of nap in between work with feet up through a day.
- The woman should be taught of relaxation exercise so that she can relax as it will help
her during her course of labor.
- Woman can continue her day-to-day usual activity but hard and strenuous work must
be avoided.

Immunization

- Advised Injection T.T. 0.5ml I/M at 16th week and 20th week to prevent tetanus.
- If the woman gets pregnant within two years, only one booster dose must be given.

Drugs

- No drugs should be given as far as possible.

- Drugs should be given with great caution and only under the order and
recommendation of physician.

Smoking and alcohol

- As it may lead to IUGR, abortion and pre term labor and should be avoided.
- Smoking can cause miscarriage, abruption placentae, placenta previa.
- Excessive alcohol intake is related to congenital anomalies, pregnancy complications
such as miscarriage, premature labor, ketoacidosis and pre-eclampsia.
- In baby it can lead to foetal alcohol syndrome, growth retardation craniofacial and
neurological abnormalities.

Warning without sounding unduly threatening

Teach woman to watch for warning signs and report to hospital in case of:

1. Headache not relieving with analgesia or rest

2. Dimness of vision
 3. Acute pain in abdomen
4. Oedema
5. Bleeding or leaking P/V
6. Loss of foetal movements or excessive foetal movements
7. Giddiness

Antenatal visits

- First trimester – once

- 4 months to 6 months once a month
- From 7 months to 9 months- two times a month
- After 9 months- weekly