Child development

Routine checks

-The abdomen is palpated to check size, position and movement of the foetus.
-The legs are checked for swelling or varicose veins (pre-eclampsia)
-Blood pressure is checked (pre-eclampsia)
-Urine is checked for chlamydia, protein which may indicate pre-eclampsia, bladder/kidney infections and ketones which may indicate ill health or dehydration
-Foetal heartbeat is checked for its prescence and rate using a sonic aid or pinard stehoscope
-Blood tests are taken for...

• Mother's blood group and rhesus factor
• Rubella immunity
• Hepatitis B
• anemia
• thalasseaemia
• suckle-cell anemia
• HIV

Eclampsia is a serious condition which may lead to convulsions, multiple organ failure, and death of mother and baby.

Ultrasound scans are hand held scanners over the abdomen wich is covered in gel and reflects sond waves which project an image of the baby onto a screen. It..

• confirms pregnancy
• gives exact foetal age and size
• checks the number of foetuses
• checks for abnormalities
• checks heartbeat
• checks the umbillical chord
• checks the position of…