1^st TRIMESTER

With your Family Physician

	Missed periods - confirm pregnancy Pregnancy confirmed - start folic acid 1 tab daily. No tonics to be taken without asking your doctor. Not even OTC (over the counter) medicines without your doctor’s advice. No exposure to X-rays. Monthly record of BP, body weight. Normal activity to be carried out including sexual.
Jerks and excitement should be avoided. Should spotting or bleeding occur, immediately contact a doctor. Do not forget to give all possible relevant history to your doctor Mild exercise plan is instituted

Risk of miscarriage is the greatest in 3^rd month.

2^nd TRIMESTER

Preferably with your Family Physician. Specialist if past history of complications.

• Complete Blood Count, Peripheral smear, Blood group & Rh, VDRL, HIV 1&2, Hepatitis B and Routine Urine examination are a must for all pregnant women.
• Oral Iron - either as preventive or to treat existing anemia are started.
• Exercise plan is continued.
• A sonography is generally ordered around 20^th week.
• Monthly recordings of weight, BP and urine for albumin is continued.
• In the 5^th month mother begins to feel movements of the baby. You should learn to notice the normal movements and report to the doctor for either reduced or increased movements.
• Doctor can hear heart sounds of the fetus around the 6^th month. Interestingly fetus also starts hearing loud sounds and feeling the sense of touch around the same time. Therefore the necessity for good reading, music, loving touch to the abdomen and possibly talking to the fetus. Classical example-Abhimanyu from our epic Mahabharata

3^rd TRIMESTER

Under the care of your Obstetrician.

• Name registry either with a specialist or a hospital
• Monthly check ups in 7^th month
• Fortnightly check ups in 8^th month
• Weekly check ups in 9^th month
• For complicated pregnancy –check ups, as per specialists advise
• Tetanus Prophylaxis - 100% status
• Iron & Calcium to continue.
• Continue Exercise plan with addition of Pelvic floor exercises.
• Prepare for delivery

Level of the uterus in the different months of pregnancy