Contact Dr Maseko to schedule an appointment
Contact us: 021 110 5157
Whether it is your first child or you've been through it, pregnancy can be an overwhelming time for an expectant mother. As an accomplished Ob/Gyn, Dr Maseko offers full-service antenatal care for all mothers-to-be to feel supported and comfortable throughout their gestational period.
Dr Maseko advises patients to make an appointment as soon as they have received positive results from an at-home pregnancy test, believe they are pregnant or are around 6-8 weeks into pregnancy. If you are unsure if you are pregnant, some early symptoms of pregnancy include
During your routine antenatal appointments, Dr Maseko will track your baby's growth and development, advise you on any potential risks, and estimate your baby's due date.
It's also an excellent opportunity to ask questions about your pregnancy, such as what's happening during each trimester, physical pregnancy symptoms, and the birth itself. You are also welcome to ask questions about caring for your baby after birth.
Antenatal care usually follows a basic schedule, and this is determined by how far along you are in your pregnancy. The schedule is as follows:
However, several factors could require you to come in more frequently, such as
Of course! Dr Maseko encourages all her expectant mothers to bring a birth support partner, a family member or a friend to accompany them to their appointments, particularly if the partner needs to be informed about the birth plan.
When you fall pregnant, your body undergoes substantial changes. Your blood volume increases by 20–30%, which increases the quantity of iron and vitamins available for the body to produce haemoglobin. Red blood cells include the protein haemoglobin, which transports oxygen to other bodily cells.
Many women lack sufficient iron for the second and third trimesters. As a result, you will likely become anaemic when your body needs more iron than is available.
Mild anaemia is common due to an increase in blood volume during pregnancy. However, more severe anaemia increases your baby's risk of developing anaemia later in infancy. Additionally, if you are considerably anaemic throughout your first two trimesters, you risk giving birth prematurely or to a child who is underweight at birth. Being anaemic also makes it harder for the mother to fight infections and increases the danger of blood loss during labour.
Changes in hormone levels during pregnancy may make it more difficult for the body to regulate blood sugar effectively. Gestational diabetes is typically the result of this, and for most women, it is usually the first time they are diagnosed with diabetes. However, it can also develop if you previously had diabetes before getting pregnant.
If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes and do not receive treatment, your baby may be at risk of
Gestational hypertension is elevated blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy. It usually develops after the 20 weeks mark, and many women don't exhibit any other symptoms. Frequently, HPV has no adverse effects on you or your baby and disappears within 12 weeks after giving birth. However, it does increase your chance of developing high blood pressure later in life. It can occasionally be severe, resulting in low birth weight or preterm delivery. In addition, preeclampsia does eventually develop in some pregnant women with gestational hypertension.
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy condition caused by high blood pressure, high protein levels in the urine or other signs of organ damage, and usually develops after week 20. There are typically little to no symptoms except for swelling in the legs or water retention, but if left untreated, it could cause severe, even fatal, consequences for both the mother and baby.