Antenatal Care

The preconception visit (cont.)
General advice regarding nutrition and lifestyle can be given at this time. Even a single antenatal nutritional education session during pregnancy has a significant effect on birth weight.

Advice can be given regarding the avoidance of teratogens, including those linked with excesses such as vitamin A, cigarette smoking, while ensuring an optimal dietary intake of folic acid. Following the demonstration that folate supplementation reduces the risk of a subsequent neural tube defect by 72%, in those at high risk by virtue of a previous affected pregnancy, it is recommended that at least 0.4mg folic acid is taken daily during the peri-conceptional period. Abnormal blood glucose control during the peri-conceptional period is associated with increased fetal complications and this is also an ideal time to ensure that such factors have been taken care of by sound dietary education and adjustment, and where necessary, medication.

Booking Visit (8-14 weeks)
The main purpose of the booking visit to obtain a comprehensive history, establish the gestational age and identify maternal and fetal risk factors. Baseline investigations are performed. (Continued next page)