Reflection on counselling a mother on antenatal care practice:

Antenatal care is the care of the woman during pregnancy. The primary aim of antenatal care is to
achieve at the end of a pregnancy a healthy mother and a healthy baby.
During our community visit, we came across to a primigravida. Her urine pregnancy test became
positive just 2 days ago.
We counselled the mother and gave her the following advises:
1. Antenatal visits:
• The mother should attend the antenatal clinic once a month during the first 7 months;
twice a month, during the next month; and thereafter, once a week, if everything is
normal.
• If it is difficult for her to attend the antenatal clinic so often, a minimum of 4 visits
covering the entire period of pregnancy should be the target.
• 1st visit - within 12 weeks, preferably as soon as the pregnancy is suspected, for
registration of pregnancy and first antenatal check-up.
• 2nd visit between 14- and 26-weeks
• 3rd visit - between 28 and 34 weeks.
• 4th visit - between 36 weeks and term.
• We advised the woman to do early registration of pregnancy within 12 weeks.
2. Specific protection: We advised her regarding
• IFA prophylaxis for 180 days
• Td immunization 2 doses
• Albendazole tablet
• Calcium supplementation
3. Antenatal examinations: She was also advised for
• Regular medical checkups (general examinations like pallor & edema, BP
monitoring, weight measurement, etc)
• Obstetric examinations
4. Investigations: We also told her to do certain examinations
• Blood (grouping and typing, Hb%, sugar, HIV, VDRL etc)
• Urine (albumin, sugar)
• USG
5. Advise regarding diet:
• The pregnancy diet should be light, nutritious, easily digestible, rich in protein,
vitamins and minerals.
• One extra meal to be added to meet up the extra requirement.
6. Advice regarding personal hygiene:
• Cleanliness- daily bath, clean and comfortable clothes, clean hair
• Rest and sleep- continue usual activities, avoid stress and strenuous activities, 10-
hour sleep
• Constipation to be avoided by taking green leafy vegetables, fruits and extra fluids
• Smoking and alcohols to be avoided
• Good oral and dental hygiene to be maintained
• Sexual intercourse to be restricted specially in the last trimester

7. Warning signs: She is advised to report if she develops any following sign and symptoms
like swelling of feet, blurring of vision, bleeding or discharge per vagina, convulsions, severe
headache or giddiness, loss of fetal movements etc.

8. We also counselled her regarding place of checkups and delivery, referral services, Janani
suraksha yojana and other incentives offered by the government.