ANC Problems You May Face and How They Can Be Solved

Though most pregnancies progress without complications, once in a while there may be problems and these include:

• Anaemia

• Having an abnormal blood group or genotype

• Testing positive for HIV, Hepatitis B or syphilis

• Detecting an abnormal baby on ultrasound

• Urinary tract infection

• Malaria

• Premature breakage of water

• Premature labour

• Developing diseases like diabetes or preeclampsia during pregnancy 

• Bleeding during pregnancy

These conditions are managed in different ways. Therefore, your doctor will provide the best management based on the particular condition.

Related: Why African women die more from birth-related bleeding

Conclusion

Antenatal care is a crucial aspect of pregnancy that ensures the health and well-being of both the mother and baby. You need to seek timely and adequate antenatal care to prevent complications and promote a healthy pregnancy. Prioritising antenatal care not only protects your life and that of your baby but also upholds your fundamental human right to health and life.

References

1. WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience [Internet]. 2015 Nov. 28. [Cited 2024 Aug 6]. Available from here. 

2. Ahmed H, Manzoor I. Knowledge about the importance of antenatal care among females of childbearing age living in a suburban community of Lahore. Pak J Med Sci.  2019 Sep-Oct;35(5):1344-1348. doi: 10.12669/pjms.35.5.. Available from here.

3. OpenLearn Create: Antenatal care. 13. 1. 3 Comparison of traditional and focused antenatal care. [Internet, n.d.]. Cited 2024 Aug 6. Available from here

4. McCauley H, Lowe K, Furtado N, Mangiaterra V, Van Den Broek N. What are the essential components of antenatal care? A systematic review of the literature and development of signal functions to guide monitoring and evaluation. BJOG. 2022 May.129(6):855–67. doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.17029. Available from here. 

5. Al-Ateeq MA, Al-Rusaiess AA. Health education during antenatal care: the need for more. IJWH. 2015 Feb 18. 2015;7:239–42. Doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S75164. Available from here. 

6. Kamineni V, Murki A, Kota V. Birth preparedness and complication readiness in pregnant women attending urban tertiary care hospital. J Family Med Prim Care [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2024 Aug 6];6(2):297. Available from here. 

Related:

How Telemedicine Can Boost Antenatal Care in Africa

Social Factors Shaping African Women’s Health

Published: August 17, 2024

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