Fetal Health and Development: Prenatal Care and a Healthy Pregnancy

A normal pregnancy lasts nine months. Each three-month stretch is called a trimester, and the fetus grows and develops through all three.

Why checkups and prenatal tests matter

Regular medical checkups and prenatal tests are very important. They can:

• keep you and your baby healthy;
• find problems with your baby, if there are any. Sometimes a problem can be treated before birth. Even when it cannot, knowing early gives you time to learn about your baby's condition and prepare for challenges after the birth;
• prevent problems during delivery. For example, if your baby is breech — bottom or feet first instead of head first — you may need a Cesarean section to avoid complications.

What you can do

Besides getting medical care, you can help keep your baby as healthy as possible:

• don't drink alcohol or smoke;
• try to eat a healthy diet;
• take care of any health problems you have during pregnancy.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Fetal Health and Development." https://medlineplus.gov/fetalhealthanddevelopment.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.