ANTENATAL CARE

Antenatal care is critical for the health of both the mother and the unborn child. Women can learn about healthy behaviours throughout pregnancy from competent health staff, better understand warning signals during pregnancy and childbirth, and receive social, emotional, and psychological support during this vital period in their life through this type of preventative health care. Pregnant women can also get vitamin supplements, hypertension treatment to avoid eclampsia, and tetanus vaccine through antenatal care. HIV tests and drugs can be provided as part of antenatal care to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. Pregnant women in malaria-endemic areas can be given drugs and insecticide-treated mosquito nets to help avoid the sickness, which is debilitating and often fatal.