Definition of Intranatal Care:
Intranatal care refers to care for a pregnant woman throughout labour to ensure safe delivery that is crucial to the women. It is the type of care which is given to the mother and baby at the time of delivery. The main objectives here are:
- Cleanliness,
- Smooth delivery without injuring mother or baby,
- Preventing complications,
- Delivery resuscitation for the baby.
Aims or Purposes of Intranatal Care:
It includes-
- Asepsis is to be maintained throughout the whole period.
- Delivery with minimum injury to the infant and mother.
- Readiness to deal with complications such as prolonged labour, ante partum haemorrhage etc.
- Care of the baby at delivery- resuscitation, care of the cord, care of the eyes etc.
Objectives of Intranatal Care:
It includes the following:
- Maintenance of health of mother during pregnancy.
- Identification of high risk cases and appropriate management.
- Prevent development of complications.
- Decrease maternal and infant mortality and morbidity.
- Remove the stress and worries of the mother regarding the delivery process.
- Teach the mother about child care, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene.
- Advice about family planning.
- Care of under-fives accompanying pregnant mothers.
Importance and Benefits of Intranatal Care:
All the importance and benefits have listed in the below:
- Intranatal care can prevent complications. “A small minority of pregnant women develop complications such as hypertension and diabetes.
- Intranatal care provides caregivers with an opportunity to explain the importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding to expecting mothers.
- Intranatal care classes will help expecting parents to gain insight and get fact-based information on pregnancy, birthing options, breastfeeding and caring for a newborn baby so that they can make informed choices.
- “Intranatal classes also give partners an opportunity to understand the whole process of pregnancy, birth and early parenting”.
Roles and Responsibilities of Nurse-Midwife During Intranatal Period:
1. Advice: nutrition
Women should avoid:
- Uncooked meat or fish,
- Raw or partially cooked eggs and products such as fresh mayonnaise which may contain raw eggs,
- Milk that has not been pasteurized,
- Raw shellfish,
- Shark, swordfish and marlin (due to high mercury levels),
- More than two portions per week of oily fish,
- Unwashed fruit or vegetables.
2. Advice: supplements
- Folic acid,
- Vitamin D,
- Iron,
- Other vitamins.
3. Advice: medication
4. Advice: lifestyle
- Exercise,
- Sexual intercourse,
- Alcohol,
- Smoking:
Smoking in pregnancy is associated with a large number of adverse effects in pregnancy including:
- Intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight,
- Miscarriage and stillbirth,
- Premature delivery,
- Placental problems.
5. Treating symptoms of early pregnancy:
6. Recreational drug use should be avoided.
Maria Khatun Mona is a Founder and Editor of Nursing Exercise Blog. She is a Nursing and Midwifery Expert. Currently she is working as a Registered Nurse at Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has great passion in writing different articles on Nursing and Midwifery. Mail her at “maria.mona023@gmail.com”