Antenatal Visits during Last Trimester of Pregnancy

Antenatal visits during the last trimester of pregnancy help to keep track of baby’s growth as well as mother’s health. Read on to find more about the importance of antenatal visits during the third trimester of pregnancy.During your last trimester, your antenatal appointments are crucial to determine the proper growth and development of your baby. These visits are important for the mother and baby’s health and help you prepare for labour and birth. These visits not only teach you how to recognize the signs of labour but also how to cope with labour pain and other pregnancy related health complications.Your doctor or midwife tracks your progress with every antenatal visit and analyse your baby’s growth. Here is a guide to antenatal visits during your last trimester and brief pointers about what to expect from these appointments. In this articleWho provides antenatal care and where do I go for antenatal appointments?What can I expect from my antenatal appointments during last trimester?What scans and screening tests can I expect from my antenatal visits in last trimester?Who provides antenatal care and where do I go for antenatal appointments?Even if you are healthy while you are in your last trimester of pregnancy, you must receive your antenatal care from an obstetrician. You can also opt for shared care, which includes antenatal care both from an obstetrician and midwife. If you have a medical history of health complications, you might require extra care from a hospital obstetrician. You will probably have almost all your check-ups in your community clinic rather than at a hospital. Some midwives may also offer home visits for first antenatal appointment and rest at a clinic nearest to you for your convenience.What can I expect from my antenatal appointments during last trimester?Antenatal visits in your last trimester will be all about ensuring mother and baby’s good health and that you do not pose any serious health threat as you come closer to your delivery date. Antenatal visits during the last stage of your pregnancy cover everything from healthy eating habits to medical tests for assuring that your baby is safe and sound.Your antenatal appointments cover your medical history and lifestyle and accordingly, provide you with information about how to look after yourself during the last stage of your pregnancy such as exercising safely for pain free labour, dieting tips for a healthy baby and so on. Your weight and blood pressure will be regularly monitored during each antenatal visit to ensure that you do not have any underlying medical complication that could harm your baby. Especially, in the third semester, your urine is checked for protein levels to indicate if you have complications such as pre-eclampsia. What scans and screening tests can I expect from my antenatal visits in last trimester?During your antenatal visits in last trimester, your obstetrician keeps a track of your baby bump, measuring from pubic bone to the tip of the bump to ensure that the reading is constant. This measurement during every antenatal visit gives your doctor a rough idea of how far your baby has progressed in growth. Your midwife or doctor might even palpate your bump to check what position your baby is in and if it’s good enough for birth.In your last trimester, you can expect blood tests for:Your blood group determinationYour rhesus factor determinationSexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, Syphilis etc.AnaemiaHepatitisRubellaRed blood cell abnormalities such as Sickle cell diseaseIt is recommended that you have regular scans as advised by your obstetrician in your last trimester to confirm your due date and to check that your baby has developed properly. Combined tests are offered to pregnant women in their last trimesters to check for genetic problems or possible abnormalities. Combined tests include scans like Nuchal Translucency Scan which provide an integrated report on how far your baby has developed and potential health threats, if any.If you have pre existing medical conditions or you have developed a medical complication in your last trimester of pregnancy, your antenatal visits will be increased and you will be under the special care of an obstetrician. With extra care and constant medical supervision, you can ease your way into motherhood.What kinds of tests are done in the third trimester of pregnancy? How often are antenatal visits scheduled during the last trimester of pregnancy? What is the importance of antenatal visits during the third trimester of pregnancy? Discuss here.