How Does Prenatal Care Affect The Unborn Child

Prenatal care is essential in the holistic development of the child because it will determine the child’s health after birth. Good prenatal care gives less a chance for birth defects, this is why the mother has to be as careful as she can with everything she does. There are many ways in which a mother can achieve a healthy pregnancy. These steps must be carried out carefully.

Healthy eating and fitness
In order for a child to be healthy prenatally, a mother must make sure she gets the right nutrition and exercise. There are certain foods a mother can’t eat while pregnant as it may affect the unborn child negatively.
These foods include;
• Some cheese (mould, ripened or soft cheese)
• Pâté
• Undercooked meat and eggs e.g. chicken
• Liver
A lot of pregnant mothers who smoke believe their child is not being harmed. These babies have a greater chance of being born premature (http://www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/pregnancy/Pages/smoking-alcohol-and-drugs-can-harm-your-baby.aspx). The chemicals such as nicotine and carbon monoxide harm the child. Nicotine causes the blood vessels to tighten, so less oxygen and nutrients can reach the child. Carbon monoxide lessens the oxygen levels for the baby. This causes the baby to struggle with breathing problems such as asthma.
Alcohol is another major problem during pregnancy. It may cause birth defects and developmental disabilities. There is a wide range of physical, behavioural and learning disabilities that may happen due to alcohol. These disabilities will cause the child to having a hard future. Even a small the amount of alcohol is still bad for the unborn child. This is because the child is eating and drinking everything the mother eats and drinks.
Anything the mother consumes affects her unborn child, this means that drugs also affect the unborn child. Any drug used during pregnancy can cause a lot of harm for the unborn child. The risks