Hesperian Health Guides

Prenatal Care (Check‑ups during Pregnancy)

In this chapter:

Prenatal check-ups save lives by finding and taking care of problems early—before they are dangerous. Good care is not difficult to give and does not require expensive equipment. Get check-ups:

Minimum (3 check-ups) Best (10 to 15 check-ups)
As soon as you think you are pregnant Every month up to 6 months
Around the 6th month of pregnancy Twice each month during months 6, 7, and 8
A month before the baby is due Each week for the last month

Prenatal check-ups can help you decide the best place to have your baby: at home, or at a health center or hospital.

A midwife or health worker will ask about past pregnancies and births, including any problems, such as a lot of bleeding or babies that died. This information can help you both prepare for similar problems in this pregnancy. A midwife may also be able to:

  • make sure you are eating well enough and suggest ways for you to eat better food, if necessary.
  • give iron, which helps prevent anemia, and folic acid, which helps prevent disabilities in your baby.
  • examine you to make sure you are healthy, physically and emotionally, and that the baby is growing well.
  • give vaccinations to prevent tetanus.
  • give medicine to prevent malaria if it is common in the area.
  • give tests for HIV and syphilis, along with other sexually transmitted infections.
  • give medicines so HIV does not infect your baby.
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fetoscope


To check whether the baby is healthy, a midwife may listen for the baby’s heartbeat. It may be possible to hear it by putting one ear against the pregnant person’s abdomen, but it is often difficult to tell the baby’s heartbeat apart from the pregnant person’s. It is easier with a fetoscope. Another sign the baby is healthy is if the pregnant person feels the baby move every day during the second half of the pregnancy, including the day of the check-up.

This page was updated:22 Jan 2024