wʌt ɪz priˈneɪtəl kɛr?

priˈneɪtəl kɛr ɪz ði ækt ʌv ˈhævɪŋ ə ˈhɛlθi ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl waɪl ju ɑr ˈprɛgnənt. ðɪs ɪn

ˈkludz ˈmeɪkɪŋ gʊd ˈʧɔɪsəz ænd ˈgoʊɪŋ tu ðə ˈdɑktər fɔr ˈrɛgjələr ˈvɪzəts. ju ɑr
mɔr ˈlaɪkli tu hæv ə ˈhɛlθi bɜrθ ɪf ju meɪnˈteɪn ə ˈhɛlθi ˈprɛgnənsi.
ˈskɛʤʊl ən əˈpɔɪntmənt wɪð jʊər ˈdɑktər æz sun æz ju faɪnd aʊt ju ɑr
ˈprɛgnənt. jʊər ˈdɑktər wɪl stɑrt baɪ riˈvjuɪŋ jʊər ˈmɛdəkəl ˈhɪstəri. ðeɪ ˈɔlsoʊ
wɪl wɑnt tu noʊ əˈbaʊt jʊər ˈsɪmptəmz. æt iʧ ˈvɪzət, ðə ˈdɑktər wɪl ˈrɛkərd jʊər
weɪt ænd blʌd ˈprɛʃər. ðiz ˈmɛʒərmənts hɛlp tu træk jʊər hɛlθ ˈdʊrɪŋ ˈprɛgnənsi.

ˈjɜrən ænd blʌd ˈsæmpəlz wɪl bi ˈteɪkən ɑn ðə fɜrst ˈvɪzət ænd əˈgɛn æt ˈleɪtər
ˈvɪzəts. ˈjɜrən tɛsts ʧɛk fɔr bækˈtɪriə, haɪ ˈʃʊgər ˈlɛvəlz (wɪʧ kæn bi ə saɪn ʌv
ˌdaɪəˈbitiz), ænd haɪ ˈproʊˌtin ˈlɛvəlz (wɪʧ kæn bi ə saɪn fɔr preeclampsia, ə
taɪp ʌv haɪ blʌd ˈprɛʃər ˈdʊrɪŋ ˈprɛgnənsi). blʌd tɛsts ʧɛk fɔr blʌd sɛl kaʊnt, blʌd
taɪp, loʊ ˈaɪərn ˈlɛvəlz (əˈnimiə) ænd ɪnˈfɛkʃəs dɪˈzizəz (sʌʧ æz ˈsɪfəlɪs, eɪʧ-aɪ-
vi, ænd ˌhɛpəˈtaɪtəs).

What is prenatal care?

Prenatal care is the act of having a healthy lifestyle while you are
pregnant. This includes making good choices and going to the doctor for
regular visits. You are more likely to have a healthy birth if you maintain a
healthy pregnancy.

Schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as you find out you
are pregnant. Your doctor will start by reviewing your medical history.
They also will want to know about your symptoms. At each visit, the
doctor will record your weight and blood pressure. These measurements
help to track your health during pregnancy.

Urine and blood samples will be taken on the first visit and again at later
visits. Urine tests check for bacteria, high sugar levels (which can be a
sign of diabetes), and high protein levels (which can be a sign for
preeclampsia, a type of high blood pressure during pregnancy). Blood
tests check for blood cell count, blood type, low iron levels (anemia) and
infectious diseases (such as syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis).