Antenatal care
Care for pregnancy and the early days of parenthood
From the early weeks of pregnancy, our antenatal care will help keep you and your baby safe and well.
Getting early and regular antenatal care is important for both your health and the health of your baby. As soon as you know you’re pregnant you can start antenatal care with us.
Get in touch
Speak to us on WhatsApp about our antenatal care package or email us to book an appointment.
What you can expect from our antenatal service?
Antenatal care takes place across 8-12 spaced clinic visits, finishing close to your due date.
When you get antenatal care with Marie Stopes Tanzania, you’ll have frequent check-ups, screenings and exams. We’ll give you advice on how to look after yourself, information on what to expect at each stage of pregnancy, and support with preparing for a positive birth.
We’ll also invite you to join an antenatal group if you wish – here you can get advice on looking after yourself, and chat with other pregnant women about your experiences.
Your first antenatal appointment and beyond
At your first appointment with us, one of our highly skilled medical team will:
- Take your full medical history
- Test and treat any infections or conditions
- Give you a due date, which is an estimate of when your baby will arrive
After this, your care will be tailored to you and your baby’s needs, but each of your appointments will include:
- An ultrasound so we can see your baby is doing well
- A check of your baby’s heartbeat
- A check of your physical and mental health
- Continued testing for any infections or conditions
- Prescribing vitamins, minerals, and any medication you might need to keep you both well
- Advice on looking out for signs of complications at each stage of pregnancy
During the final weeks of your pregnancy, we will discuss your hopes for your birth and help you create a birth plan, including your preferences about pain relief and who you want as your birth partner.
Frequently asked questions about antenatal care
An ultrasound uses a small probe which gives off high-frequency sound waves. You can’t hear these sound waves, but when they bounce off different parts of the body, they create “echoes” that are picked up by the probe and turned into a moving image.
During an antenatal ultrasound, these sound waves help create an image of the inside of the womb so we can see the progression of your baby.
Before having an ultrasound scan, we might ask you to follow certain instructions to help improve the quality of the images produced.
For an antenatal ultrasound, we will ask you to wear loose comfortable clothing that can be easily moved out of the way so we can get access to your belly.
We may also ask you to drink lots of water beforehand, as having a full bladder can help improve the clarity of the images.
Most ultrasound scans last between 15 and 45 minutes. There are different kinds of ultrasound scans, depending on which part of the body is being scanned and why.
Before your appointment, we will speak to you in more detail about the antenatal ultrasound scan and what to expect.
You may be told the results of your scan soon after it’s been carried out. In some cases the images will need to be analysed and we will contact you a few days later or at your next appointment, if one has been arranged.
Related services
Want to learn more about our antenatal package?
Give us a call today toll-free
0800 753 333
