PREGNANCY

Course overview

GLOBALLY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 MILLION PREGNANCIES EACH YEAR. OF THESE PREGNANCIES, MORE THAN 40% ARE UNINTENDED. UNINTENDED DOES NOT IMPLY UNWANTED. EVERY COUPLE MUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN FOR PREGNANCY AND CHOOSE WHEN THEY ARE READY FOR PREGNANCY. OF THE 40 PERCENT OF UNINTENDED PREGNANCIES, EARLY PRENATAL CARE IS IMPORTANT TO PREVENT POOR PERINATAL OUTCOMES AND COMPLICATIONS. OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIAGNOSING PREGNANCY AND PREVENTING UNWANTED AND UNPLANNED PREGNANCIES EXIST DURING ROUTINE VISITS, SPORTS EXAMS, WELL-WOMAN EXAMS, EMERGENCIES, AND DURING ACUTE VISITS. TAKING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR A PREGNANCY TEST CAN PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN GETTING WOMEN TO EARLY PRENATAL CARE. THE KEY DETERMINANTS TO A HEALTHY PREGNANCY AND REPRODUCTIVE LIFE ARE THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM PREVENTING, IDENTIFYING, AND ADDRESSING PRECONCEPTION HEALTH ISSUES, PREGNANCY READINESS, EARLY PRENATAL CARE, AND MINIMIZING RISKS DURING THE PERINATAL AND INTERCONCEPTION PERIOD.