Antenatal care is a planned programme of medical care offered to pregnant women by a skilled birth attendant, from
the time of conception to delivery, aimed at ensuring a safe and satisfying pregnancy and birth outcome.
The main objective of antenatal care is to give information on:
- Screening, prevention, and treatment of complications
- Emergency preparedness
- Birth planning
- Satisfying any unmet nutritional, social, emotional, and physical needs of the pregnant woman
- Provision of patient education, including successful care and nutrition of the newborn
- Identification of high-risk pregnancy
- Encouragement of male partner involvement in antenatal care