After the initial euphoria of finding out you are pregnant, your mind will probably spin with questions: What should I eat or avoid eating? Do I need to take vitamins? Can I exercise? What should I expect once I go into labor? Good prenatal care can help ease your anxiety, understand the changes occurring in you body, and increase your chances of having a healthy child.

What is Prenatal Care and Why is it so Important?
In the best of all possible worlds, women should start taking measures to protect their babies before getting pregnant. That's the time to improve nutrition, be checked for medical problems that might affect a pregnancy, and shake poor lifestyle habits (smoking, taking drugs, or drinking alcohol in excess).

Once you become pregnant, you should see your doctor or certified nurse-midwife on a regular basis to help safeguard your health as well as the well-being of your baby. Prenatal check-ups also give you the chance to voice any questions or concerns. It's important for you to be completely honest and to tell your doctor about any physical or emotional problems you may have. Initially, your physician will take a medical history, do a thorough examination, estimate your due date, and take tests to check for diabetes, urinary tract problems, anemia, hepatitis C virus, and sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The frequency of subsequent check-ups will depend on how healthy you are. If all is going well, visits might be scheduled every 4 weeks up to the 28th week of pregnancy, every 2 or 3 weeks from the 28th to the 36th week of pregnancy and weekly from the 36th week of pregnancy to delivery. Over the course of these weeks, your doctor will monitor your weight, blood pressure and urine, and look for any abnormal swelling. The baby's growth and heartbeat will also be checked.

Eating for Life

The special nutritional needs of a growing fetus make it particularly important for a mother's diet to be healthful. If you are lacking nutrients, the baby will be too, and such deficiencies may cause birth defects or other serious problems.

You are already in great shape if you have been enjoying a diet high in grains, vegetables and fruits and low in fat and sugar. If your eating habits are less than desirable, there's no time like the present for you and your child to start reaping the benefits of the food guide pyramid, which was developed by the Department of Agriculture to help all of us select a varied diet that supplies a balance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. Since pregnant women need extra calories and nutrients, they should get at least the number of servings indicated in the food categories below. A serving size is one that fits in the palm of your hand.

Bread, cereal, rice and pasta (9 servings). Look for whole-grain products (like whole-wheat bread) as opposed to those that are refined.

Vegetables (4 servings). To get the most nutrients, choose a wide variety of veggies in an array of colors, including dark green, and deep yellow and orange (broccoli, spinach, carrots). Also in this category are starchy vegetables (potatoes and corn) and legumes (kidney beans and chick peas).

Fruits (3 servings). Whether these are fresh, canned, frozen, dried or in juice form, the sky is the limit: go for lots of citrus, as well as apples, bananas, melons, and berries

Dairy products (3 servings). If you don't get enough calcium-rich foods (milk, yogurt and cheese) the baby will sap your own stores of the mineral, leaving you at higher risk for osteoporosis and loose teeth. Avoid getting too much fat by selecting skim or low-fat products. Non-dairy foods that contain calcium include salmon and sardines with bones, kale, spinach, turnip greens and fortified orange juice.

Meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts (3 servings). Trim the fat from meat and the skin from poultry to reduce fat.