Pregnancy is another milestone in a woman's lifetime. To be pregnant is to experience the gift of life. Pregnancy is an opportunity to bear another life. It may sound simple to some especially those mothers who have already been pregnant but for those first timers it may be a bit scary.

First time mothers have a lot of questions on their mind and not only that, they also have doubts. It doesn't really matter if it is the first, the second or the third time since each time a woman gets pregnant she will have to undergo pre-natal care.

What is a pre-natal care? Pre natal care is a specialized health care designed specifically to tackle on the needs of a pregnant woman. It is rendered by a licensed OB-GYN or midwife. During pre-natal care, the progress of a woman's pregnancy is monitored and her questions about her pregnancy and the future care of her baby are being addressed. Some women have no idea about the importance of having pre-natal care and so in order to clear the doubts, here are some reasons why a pregnant woman should have a regular pre natal care.

1. Education and Counselling

Pregnancy is mystifying, amazing and confusing at the same time. A pregnant woman will surely have a lot of questions. With a regular pre natal care her physician will be able to guide her all throughout the course of pregnancy. Your physician will discuss to you the natural course of pregnancy and how it will affect your body and your daily activities.

2. Nutrition

Some women who get pregnant have the tendency to eat a lot. The eating habits for these women change dramatically but not all foods will serve her good. During pre-natal care the physician may provide a list of nutritious foods that will keep her and her baby healthy. Pregnant women eat twice as much since they are not only eating to satisfy themselves but their unborn child as well. So it would be best for a pregnant woman to have a healthy eating habit. Prenatal vitamins will also be prescribed during the visit.

3. Immunizations

One particular immunization that a woman should have during pregnancy is the TT or tetanus toxoid vaccine. This vaccine if administered at the prescribed time will protect the baby from neonatal tetanus as well as the mother. The immunization has 5 levels and each has a certain time frame when it should be administered. It would be best to have a prenatal check up regularly so that you won't miss a dose of this very important immunization.

4. Monitoring

If you have some health problems like high blood pressure or diabetes and you are pregnant then you should subject yourself to a regular prenatal check up. During prenatal check ups, your overall health is constantly monitored and so in cases where there are some abnormal changes it can be tackled on immediately. Healthy women should still undergo check ups not only to monitor herself but the baby as well.

Subjecting yourself to regular pre natal care will reduce your risk of developing pregnancy related complications. It would be best if you don't miss any appointments with your doctors. The frequencies of pre-natal visits are scheduled as follows: 4th week-28th week (1 visit/month or every 4 weeks), 28th week-36th week (2 visits/ month or every 2-3 weeks, 36th week – birth (1 visit/week).