Why You Should Never Skip Your Regular Checkups When You're Pregnant

Pregnancy ushers in a lot of changes in your life. Granted, you must enjoy the excitement of getting a new member of the family. However, there can be challenges galore for a mom-to-be. For example, there can be exhaustion, mood swings, cravings, and sleep disruptions. Exhaustion is most commonly experienced during the first and third trimesters. Fatigue is mainly attributed to the hormone surge that occurs as the mother undergoes significant physical changes that accompany growing a baby. The physical and emotional change brings along with it insomnia (particularly during the third trimester), which adds to the exhaustion experienced by the mom-to-be. While rest, care, and empathy may seem the best ways to deal with pregnancy fatigue it is best not to skip your regular appointment with your healthcare provider during pregnancy. We list two main reasons why you should never miss your regular checkups during pregnancy.

Recent statistics show that babies of mothers who do not get regular prenatal check-ups are 3 times more likely to have complications during birth and/or low birth weight.

There are two main reasons.

1. To prevent and reduce the risk of certain pregnancy-related complications.

• During regular checkups, your healthcare provider can give you vital inputs on the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. He/she will also tell you how avoiding certain activities (e.g. smoking), foods, and beverages (e.g. alcohol, caffeine) while including certain activities (e.g. regular exercise, sleep patterns, etc.) will benefit you and your child’s development in utero.

• During each visit, your vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, etc.) will be checked to prevent any complications like preeclampsia.

• Based on your pre-existing conditions, your healthcare provider will vaccinate you during pregnancy. This will not only provide you with immunity against certain infections (which often complicate a pregnancy) but will also help your child develop passive immunity in utero.

2. To prevent or reduce risks or complications for the fetus:

• Your healthcare provider will assess your baby’s health by checking certain healthcare parameters like a heartbeat, movements, and overall growth during these regular checkups. This offers a chance to intervene at an early stage if needed. Early interventions that happen as a result of regular check-ups increase the chances of delivering a healthy baby with a good quality of life.

• Healthcare providers often recommend/prescribe prenatal vitamins to ensure optimum and healthy growth of the fetus. The recommendations during your regular check-ups will ensure the healthy growth of the fetus enabling it for a smooth and uneventful birth.

• Prenatal genetic tests (for chromosomal defects like Down’s Syndrome) will also be recommended/prescribed by your healthcare provider during your regular checkups. These are useful in determining if early intervention is required.

Going to your doctor regularly during pregnancy will ensure a healthy pregnancy with the least possible complications and best possible outcomes. As author Beth Moore puts it, “The purpose exceeds the pain." Regular checkups during pregnancy might be tiring and time-consuming, but these are crucial for both the mother and her baby.