Prenatal Care

Early prenatal care provides the nurse the opportunity to teach the client and family members. A systematic physical exam and health history provide the healthcare provider with the information needed to treat and prevent fetal anomalies. Using Naegele’s rule the examiner can determine the estimated date of delivery. This is done by counting from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period plus one year. The nurse should then subtract three months and add seven days to that date. McDonald’s method can also be used to determine gestational age. This is done by measuring the fundal height in centimeters. Screening tests should be performed during the prenatal visit to detect diseases that affect the mother and fetus. It has been found that the earlier the pregnant client begins to visit the doctor, the better the outcome for the infant and mother. In this section, you will discover the signs of pregnancy, prenatal topics, and information that might be tested on the NCLEX exam.

Signs of Pregnancy

Signs of pregnancy include the following: