Prenatal health care is also commonly called antenatal care and entails frequent nursing and medical care for pregnant or expectant women. This aims at preventing or treating health problems during the entire pregnancy period. The expectant women are informed on prenatal nutrition, physiological maternal changes, and even biological changes. This health care has been paramount in effectively reducing miscarriages, birth defects and also maternal deaths (Pillitteri, 2010, p.4).
Anemia caused by iron deficiencies augments the danger for preterm birth and very low neonatal weight on birth (Fowles, 2004, p.6). Maternal iron paucity anemia lessens fetal and neonatal stores of iron. However, excessive levels of iron in serum develop gestational diabetes even in women without anemia. Therefore, folate and iron supplementation improve the maternal levels of hemoglobin at birth and after birth (Fowles, 2004, p.6). Zinc supplementation averts the potential risk in infants of defects in neural tube. Adequate zinc intakes during pregnancy avoid the occurrence of congenital defects. Calcium particularly helps the pregnant mothers to avoid hypertension and other birth complications (Fowles, 2004, p.6).
Prenatal nutrition is paramount for the healthy development of the unborn baby and it influences birth weight and the overall health of the child. Watching the eating habits, substance use and enough exercises lowers risks related to birth defects and adulthood chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. The pregnant mother is expected to have a good balance of vitamin D, omega-3, calcium, folic acid and iron. During the phase of pre-conception or even early pregnancy folic acid is indispensible because it aids in n the fetus nerve cells and spine development (Forster et.al, 2009, p.13). The trend that was there in the past on nutritional obligations of an expectant mother required her to eat for two people. This belief of bloating the poor mother is an unhealthy practiced and no longer followed in modern times. Expectant mother energy needs only slightly increases during pregnancy. Bearing this in mind, the focus shifts from quantity to quality in terms of the nutritional value of the meals eaten.
The guidelines stipulated by the Australian Dietary body recommend that pregnant women should drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration and replenish the body, eat a lot of fruits, legumes and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, lean meat and milk or milk products that are low in fat (Pillitteri, 2010, p.8). The same Australian Dietary body offers guidelines requiring that the foods that are most appropriate at that time should have minimal salt content and moderate sugar content. Saturated fats should be limited for a healthy meal to be observed (Pillitteri, 2010, p.8).
The gestation stages in a pregnant mother affects weight gain patterns of the mother and also the fetus. This therefore makes it very important for proper prenatal health and nutrition to be followed in all trimesters. In the very first stage or trimester also known as blastogenesis, the pregnant individual experiences a little weight gain which is about half to two kg (Fowles, 2004, p.3). At this time, the embryo becomes 6 grams. The second and third stage or trimester experiences rapid fetus weight growth increasing to around 3000 to 4000 gm (Forster, 2009, p.3). This is the period when the gestation weight is felt by the pregnant woman and adherence to nutrition requirements is indispensable. However, it has been noted that low income and middle income mothers especially in the third pregnancy trimester normally have lower vitamin D, foliate, iron phosphorus and calcium intake while increasing their sodium and fat intake. These risky dietary behaviors predispose them to difficult labors, neonates birth injuries, postnatal obesity, impaired development of the fetus bones, hypoglycemia and anemia (Fowles, 2004, p.4).
A normal or standard weight is recommended for pregnant women when preparing for gestation, because it facilitates overall infants health. BMI determines the appropriate maternal weight. During pregnancy, gestational weight should be steadily progressive and this should be by correct nutritional observance (Fowles, 2004, p.2). Prenatal health in Australia follows the given guidelines in maternal health ensuring that underweight mothers undergo a weight gain program for healthy outcomes in the pregnancy, while overweight women avoids further weight gain (Pillitteri, 2010,
The lack of convenient and valid tools for dietary intake evaluation, add to the predicament of performing routine assessments in dietary intake during pregnancy. Most cases, the typical modes validity of getting information on dietary intake often is considerably imperfect and inaccurate in evaluating pregnant women dietary practices. However, other methods of assessing intake such as the daily records of consumed food, and the 24 hour recall, are very useful in portraying a person’s intake on average, of micro- and macronutrients (Fowles, 2004, p.5).
The trends of prenatal health have shown a great paradigm shift on the influences of growth and also development. In the past, prenatal care was not emphasized as much as it is nowadays. The governments of nations worldwide are taking initiatives to better the prenatal care in efforts of reducing the mortality rates and improve the health of the society in general. The present trends include; paid prenatal and maternal leave, patient-physician connection, and prevention of unintended pregnancy, community outreach, and health insurance. Globalization has facilitated the dynamics of health care with continuous technological and medical innovations that are aiding in the improving of maternal care (Pillitteri, 2010, p.8). The implications of the improved care particularly in Australia can be seen to be; more capacity to handle epidemiological threats therefore increasing the chances of child and mother survival, reduced mortality rates, and better social-political coexistence in the society. The arising impacts of the trends seen on present practice in health care are good for a healthy future.
Child Mortality Rate in Australia
Source: Deaths, Australia, 2000 (ABS cat. no. 3302.0).
Dahlen, H. G., Ryan, M., Homer, C. S., & Cooke, M. (2007). An Australian prospective cohort study of risk factors for severe perineal trauma during childbirth. Midwifery, 23(2), 196- 203.
Forster, D. A., Wills, G., Denning, A., & Bolger, M. (2009). The use of folic acid and other vitamins before and during pregnancy in a group of women in Melbourne, Australia. Midwifery, 25(2), 134-146.
Fowles, E. R. (2004). Prenatal nutrition and birth outcomes. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 33(6), 809-822.
O’Leary, C. M., Jacoby, P. J., Bartu, A., D’Antoine, H., & Bower, C. (2013). Maternal alcohol use and sudden infant death syndrome and infant mortality excluding SIDS. Pediatrics, 131(3), e770-e778.
Pillitteri, A., & Pillitteri, A. (2010). Maternal & child health nursing: Care of the childbearing & childrearing family. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Warland, J., & McCutcheon, H. (2011). The ‘quit’smoker and stillbirth risk: A review of contemporary literature in the light of findings from a case–control study. Midwifery, 27(5), 607-611.