Ashtabula County Medical Center | ACMC Pulse | Summer 2018

During the first prenatal visit, you can expect your doctor to: Follow-up prenatal visits will include: DO YOU KNOW? What foods should you avoid during pregnancy? Find out at acmchealth.org/foods-to-avoid . Women who have routine prenatal care have a higher likelihood of delivering healthy babies, lower risk of early birth and fewer serious pregnancy complications. As soon as you learn you are pregnant, prenatal care should begin. It starts with a visit to an OB-GYN. + + Ask about your health history, including diseases, operations or prior pregnancies. + + Ask about your family’s health history. + + Do a complete physical exam, including a pelvic exam and a Pap test. + + Take your blood and urine for lab work. + + Check your blood pressure, height and weight. + + Calculate your due date. + + Answer your questions. All women have routine tests during pregnancy. Additional tests may be needed depending on your age, personal or family health history, your ethnic background, or the results of routine tests you have had. Prenatal visits not only let physicians see how the baby is developing, but also give mothers-to-be a chance to ask questions related to pregnancy and find out about other services provided by ACMC that might be important—including postnatal care. Prenatal visits should take place monthly through the first 28 weeks, then increase to twice monthly until 36 weeks. After that, weekly visits ensure that baby and mom are progressing safely toward delivery. + + Checking your blood pressure. + + Measuring your weight gain. + + Measuring your abdomen to check your baby’s growth (once you begin to show). + + Checking the baby’s heart rate. “He’s great. I was a little nervous because he was the fourth OB-GYN I had seen while I was pregnant with Jordon,” Cameron says. “But I am so comfortable with Dr. Lazarescu. He is knowledgeable, and I have never had a bad experience with him or ACMC.” “We take great pride in the care we provide,” says Dr. Lazarescu. “We do our best for our patients, and I think Melissa’s story shows the excellent care at ACMC.” An upgraded maternity unit ACMC is the only hospital in Ashtabula County with a Maternity Unit, which has seen many updates since EXPECT THE BEST For tours of ACMC’s Maternity Suite or for more information about childbirth education, call 440-997-6230 . the birth of Cameron’s first child when the rooms weren’t private and there were no in-room showers. Now ACMC’s maternity unit has private rooms; in- room showers; and two labor, delivery and recovery suites that allow mom to remain in the same room through all stages of delivery. “I appreciate the renovations and upgrades,” Cameron says. “I made a good choice with ACMC.” The importance of prenatal care ACMC Pulse  • acmchealth.org 7