LO2: understand antenatal care and preparation for birth.

Question 1

Professional roles supporting the pregnant mother:

Answer 1

Midwife.
Obstetrician.
General practitioner (GP).
Gynaecologist.
Paediatrician.

Question 2

Midwife:

Answer 2

Experts in pregnancy and birth.
Look after a woman and her baby throughout antenatal care, during labour and birth.
Also 28 days after the baby has been born.

Question 3

Responsibilities of a midwife:

Answer 3

Providing antenatal care such as parenting classes, clinical examination and screening.
Identifies high risk pregnancies.
Monitoring and supporting women during labour and birthing process.
Teaching new mothers how to feed, care and baby their new babies.

Question 4

Hospital midwifes:

Answer 4

Based in a hospital, a birth centre and midwife-led unit.

Antenatal clinics and on the labour ward and postnatal ward.

Question 5

Community midwives;

Answer 5

Visits women at home or at a specialised clinic, which then they also attend home births.
Responsible for provision of postnatal care for both home and hospital births.
Will visit new mothers for up to 10 days after birth.

Question 6

Independent midwives:

Answer 6

Work privately, outside the NHS.

Most likely to work with women who want a home birth.

Question 7

Obstetrician:

Answer 7

Takes on antenatal care of mothers for whom there is a complication such as a complication with the mother or baby identified during pregnancy that complicates the pregnancy and/or birth.
Or a baby becoming distressed during labour.

Question 8

General practitioner (GP):

Answer 8

The place where the mother would ring is she has a home positive pregnancy test.
They respond to emergency concerns relating to the pregnancy .

Question 9

Gynaecologist:

Answer 9

Specialises in female reproduction organs and the ability to reproduce.
Treats fertility conditions.
They take care of mothers with complicated medical problems.
Emergency care for problems in early pregnancy.

Question 10

Paediatrician:

Answer 10

A doctor who specialises in babies and children up to 16 years old.
May be present at birth if there is a concern about a babys health.

Question 11

The importance of antenatal and parenting classes:

Answer 11

These should help with a safer pregnancy, labour and parenthood.
Should attend weekly classes from 30-32 weeks of pregnancy.
When expecting twins they should attend classes from 24 weeks.
Informal and fun.

Question 12

How do antenatal classes help with preparing for a safer pregnancy?

Answer 12

They provide advice on how to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy through safe exercise and diet.
They explain various arrangements for birth and labour, which then helps mother to create a birth plan.
Lastly gives mother any chance to discuss any concerns over the birth and labour.

Question 13

How do antenatal classes help for both of the parents during labour and parenthood?

Answer 13

They discuss the types of pain relief and relaxation methods and the different types of birthing methods.
They also give information about caring for a baby and the mothers help after the birth.

Question 14

Role of the father/partner for supporting the mother throughout pregnancy and birth:

Answer 14

Provide practical support with any tasks.
They can also learn relaxation and breathing techniques alongside the mother so that he can participate during labour and birth.

Question 15

How would you make the birth an emotionally satisfying experience?

Answer 15

Enabling discussion of emotions and feelings during pregnancy, birth and after birth, so that parents have realistic expectations.

Question 16

When does the first antenatal appointment occur?

Answer 16

8 weeks of pregnancy.

Question 17

Routine checks of the first antenatal appointment:

Answer 17

Weight checks.
Blood tests.
Blood pressure.
Urine tests.
Checks for STI's.
Examination of the uterus.
Baby's heartbeat.
Ultrasound dating scan.

Question 18

What do blood tests check for?

Answer 18

Anaemia.
High blood sugar.
Blood group.
German measles (rubella).
Hepatitis B and C.
HIV.

Question 19

Weight checks:

Answer 19

Weighed to establish baseline weight and then tracked throughout the pregnancy.
If the woman gains more weight than expected this could be a sign of pre- eclampsia, which will then need to be treated.
Weight loss can indicate a sign of illness in the mother, or that the baby has stopped growing.

Question 20

Blood pressure:

Answer 20

Average BP is 110/70 - 120/80 for a healthy woman under 35 years old.
Blood pressure above 140/90 is a sign of pre- eclampsia.

Question 21

What potential problems can urine tests show?

Answer 21

Protein can be a sign of infection but can also indicate onset pre- eclampsia.
Glucose (sugar) can indicate diabetes, which can be controlled by diet/insulin.
Ketones might be present if there has been excessive vomiting. Without treatment a serious condition called ketosis can occur which can then be very life- threatening.

Question 22

STI’s:

Answer 22

Can be harmful to the unborn baby.
Can be existing or caught during pregnancy.
Can be more serious when caught during pregnancy, and life- threatening for the mother/baby.

Some STI’s can be cured with antibiotics but some cannot.

Question 23

What does the examination of the uterus asses?

Answer 23

How soft the cervix is
The position of the cervix, either posterior (facing the tailbone) or anterior (facing the front).
Which way the baby is facing.

Question 24

Baby’s heartbeat:

Answer 24

The expected heartbeat of an unborn child is 110-160 beats per minute.
Midwife/doctor will check to see if its normal.

Question 25

What does an ultrasound dating scan check for and when?

Answer 25

How far along the pregnancy is so the due date can be calculated.
That the baby is growing in the right place and the baby’s development.
Also for abnormalities, as some may be detected in an early stage.

These all get checked out around 8-14 weeks of pregnancy.

Question 26

When do ultrasound anomaly scan/mid- pregnancy scans get carried out?

Answer 26

They get carried out at 18-21 weeks of pregnancy and looks out for any abnormalities.

Question 27

What are some conditions that the anomaly scan looks for?

Answer 27

Open spina bifida.
Cleft lip.
Serious cardiac abnormalities.
Lethal skeletal dysplasia.
Diaphragmatic hernia.
Gastrochisis.

Question 28

Nuchal fold translucency test:

Answer 28

The amount of fluid present under the skin at the back of the unborn baby’s neck is measure.
Babies with downs syndrome often have an increased amount of this fluid.
Women offered this test between 11 and 13 weeks.
Small risk of misscariage.