Displaying items by tag: fetal complications

The first visit to the obstetrician is to confirm the pregnancy. This is usually done by a blood test to check for HCG levels, the same hormone which also caused a positive urine pregnancy test. Ultrasound is also done to look for gestation sac to confirm the pregnancy.

Routine antenatal care is very important to reduce maternal and fetal complications. Hypothyroidism can adversely affect the health of the baby and the mother if not identified and treated before and during pregnancy. It is very important that a woman is screened for thyroid deficiencies ideally while she is planning to get pregnant. The baby is completely dependent on the maternal thyroid hormones especially during the first three months of pregnancy. So this may put an additional strain on the mother and could lead to further deficiency if not identified and corrected promptly.