Title: Pregnancy: Read About Prenatal Care and Tests
Headings: Pregnancy: Prenatal Care and Tests
Pregnancy: Prenatal Care and Tests
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Content: Good prenatal care helps ensure the health of both the mother and the baby. Regular checkups and prenatal testing are important parts of prenatal care. Prenatal care practitioners include obstetricians, family practice doctors, certified nurse-midwives (CNM), certified professional midwives (CPM), and doulas. A woman can give birth in a hospital, birth center, or at home. The presence of certain health problems or pregnancy complications may prohibit a home birth. Typically, a woman's age, family history, medical history, and pregnancy risk factors are assessed during the initial prenatal doctor visit. A breast exam, Pap test, pelvic exam, and cervical exam may also be performed. Part of prenatal care is screening also will be assessed for conditions like
anemia,
Rh factor incompatibility,
toxoplasmosis,
hepatitis B,
syphilis,
Chlamydia, and
HIV. Blood type and immunity to rubella ( German measles) and chickenpox will also be assessed. Prenatal tests are performed to monitor the health and development of the baby.