Medically reviewed by Dr. Shweta Agarwal, MBBS, DGO. Last updated: June 2026.
Information on this page is educational and does not replace a medical consultation. Outcomes depend on individual clinical factors.
Aansh Hospital & IVF Center is a growing chain of fertility and women's health centers across Vidarbha and northern Telangana, with its headquarters and in-house embryology lab in Chandrapur. Antenatal care at Aansh means the same clinician who managed your fertility treatment or early pregnancy continues to monitor your pregnancy through the trimesters — with investigations, ultrasound scans, and specialist referrals handled on-site where possible. "Aansh" (अंश) refers to this clinic group, not to any other provider using a similar name; you can verify our government ART registration on the National ART & Surrogacy Registry.
What is antenatal care and why does every pregnancy need it?
Antenatal care is structured medical monitoring of a pregnancy from the time it is confirmed until the onset of labour. The visits are not merely check-ins: they detect conditions — anaemia, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, growth restriction — that are common in Indian pregnancies and are treatable when found early, but can become serious if missed. Even a straightforward pregnancy benefits from regular monitoring; a pregnancy after IVF, or any pregnancy with risk factors, requires it without exception. The programme also covers immunisation with two doses of Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine (per MoHFW guidelines, replacing the older Tetanus Toxoid vaccine), daily iron-folic-acid (IFA) supplementation containing 60 mg elemental iron and 500 mcg folic acid from the second trimester for 180 days, and daily calcium supplementation of 1000 mg in two divided doses from 14 weeks onwards (per MoHFW guidelines), all of which details support a birth-preparedness plan that reduces maternal and newborn risk.
How many antenatal visits are recommended, and when?
The number and spacing of antenatal visits follows national and international guidelines. The WHO recommends a minimum of eight antenatal care contacts during pregnancy, which is aligned with the updated guidelines from the National Health Mission (NHM) and FOGSI in India (per NHM guidelines), spread across the three trimesters, with more frequent visits as the pregnancy progresses toward term. A commonly used framework is:
- First trimester (up to ~13 weeks): Booking visit as early as possible — ideally by 8–10 weeks — for confirmation, dating, booking investigations, and establishing a care plan.
- Second trimester (14–27 weeks): Visits typically at regular intervals (often every 4 weeks, with contacts at 20 and 26 weeks per NHM guidelines) for growth monitoring, anomaly scan, gestational diabetes screening, and anaemia checks.
- Third trimester (28 weeks to term): Visits become more frequent — often every 2 to 4 weeks from 28–36 weeks (with contacts at 30, 34, and 36 weeks), then weekly from 36 weeks to term (contacts at 38 and 40 weeks per NHM guidelines) — for growth, blood pressure monitoring, fetal position, and birth planning.
For pregnancies conceived after IVF or those with identified risk factors, the visit frequency is increased, and care is co-managed with high-risk pregnancy protocols.
What happens at the first (booking) antenatal visit?
The booking visit is the most detailed appointment in the whole antenatal programme. It typically includes:
- Confirmation and dating: ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy is intrauterine, measure the embryo or fetus, and establish an accurate expected date of delivery (EDD) — not to determine or disclose the sex of the baby.
- Medical and obstetric history: previous pregnancies, medical conditions, medications, family history.
- Baseline measurements: weight, height, body mass index, blood pressure.
- Booking blood investigations: blood group and Rh factor, complete blood count (haemoglobin), blood sugar, thyroid (TSH), VDRL, HIV, hepatitis B surface antigen, urine routine and microscopy — and others depending on history (per MoHFW/NHM guidelines).
- Nutritional assessment and supplementation initiation: folic acid is ideally started before conception and continued in early pregnancy (400 mcg to 5 mg daily); daily iron and calcium supplementation is prescribed per the national programme (60 mg elemental iron and 500 mcg folic acid daily, and 1000 mg elemental calcium daily in two divided doses starting from 14 weeks) (per MoHFW guidelines).
- Immunisation: first dose of Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine given as early as possible in pregnancy, followed by the second dose 4 weeks later (per Universal Immunisation Programme guidelines).
- Birth-preparedness and complication-readiness counselling.
What do routine antenatal checkups look for across the trimesters?
Each visit after the booking appointment is a structured clinical review. The key checks across the programme include:
Maternal monitoring at every visit:
- Blood pressure — to detect hypertension and pre-eclampsia. Sustained elevated BP (≥ 140/90 mmHg) in pregnancy is a warning sign of gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia (per FOGSI guidelines).
- Urine dipstick for protein — a key sign of pre-eclampsia.
- Weight gain — to ensure it is within the healthy range for gestational age and maternal BMI.
- Anaemia screen — haemoglobin repeated at key intervals; anaemia in pregnancy (defined as Hb < 11 g/dL per WHO and Indian MoHFW guidelines, and classified as mild at 10.0–10.9 g/dL, moderate at 7.0–9.9 g/dL, and severe at < 7.0 g/dL) increases maternal and neonatal risk and is treated with iron supplementation and dietary advice.
- Symptoms review: headache, visual disturbance, swelling, reduced fetal movements, vaginal bleeding or discharge.
Fetal monitoring at each visit:
- Fundal height measurement to track uterine growth.
- Fetal heart auscultation after the first trimester.
- Fetal lie and presentation in the third trimester.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening: GDM is common in Indian pregnancies. Screening is typically performed at around 24–28 weeks using a single-step oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with a 75g oral glucose load in a non-fasting state, where a 2-hour plasma glucose level of ≥ 140 mg/dL is diagnostic for GDM (per DIPSI/MoHFW guidelines), though women with risk factors (obesity, family history of diabetes, previous GDM, previous large baby) may be screened earlier. GDM that is identified and managed — through diet, monitoring, and if needed medication — reduces complications for both mother and baby.
What ultrasound scans are done during a routine pregnancy?
Ultrasound scans during pregnancy are used for anatomical assessment and wellbeing monitoring only. At Aansh, as at every registered facility in India, ultrasound is strictly governed by the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act: scans are used solely to assess fetal anatomy, growth, position, placenta, and amniotic fluid — never to determine or disclose the sex of the baby, under any circumstances. This is explained further in the FAQ below.
A standard schedule of scans in a routine pregnancy typically includes:
- Dating scan (first trimester, ~6–12 weeks): Confirms intrauterine pregnancy, measures crown-rump length to establish the EDD, assesses the number of fetuses.
- First-trimester combined screening (approximately 11–13+6 weeks): Nuchal translucency (NT) measurement plus maternal blood tests (PAPP-A and beta-hCG) to assess chromosomal risk (widely recommended by FOGSI guidelines and standard in private healthcare settings across India).
- Anomaly scan / mid-trimester scan (approximately 18–22 weeks): Detailed assessment of fetal anatomy — brain, heart, spine, kidneys, limbs, placental location, and amniotic fluid. This scan evaluates anatomy and structural development; it is not a sex-determination scan.
- Third-trimester growth scan (typically performed between 32–36 weeks, or more frequently for high-risk cases): Assesses fetal growth, position, amniotic fluid, and Doppler blood flow where clinically indicated (per FOGSI guidelines).
Women whose pregnancies require additional monitoring — including IVF conceptions, twin pregnancies, or those with identified risk factors — are referred to our fetal monitoring service for additional Doppler and growth assessments.
What should I eat and avoid during pregnancy?
Nutrition in pregnancy directly affects both maternal health and fetal development. Practical guidance includes:
Include:
- Iron-rich foods: green leafy vegetables (spinach, methi), legumes, jaggery, dates — alongside the prescribed iron tablets. Pair with vitamin C (lemon, amla) to improve absorption.
- Calcium sources: dairy, ragi, sesame, and prescribed calcium supplements, especially in the second and third trimesters when fetal skeletal development is rapid.
- Protein: dal, legumes, eggs, fish, poultry, paneer — for fetal growth and maternal tissue demands.
- Folate-rich foods: green vegetables, pulses — in addition to prescribed folic acid supplement.
- Hydration: adequate water intake throughout the day.
Limit or avoid:
- Raw or undercooked meat, fish, or eggs; unpasteurised dairy — infection risk.
- Excess caffeine (limited to <200 mg/day, per WHO guidelines).
- Alcohol — no safe level in pregnancy.
- Papaya and pineapple in large quantities — traditional caution is noted, though evidence is limited; discuss with your doctor.
- Self-medication with over-the-counter drugs or herbal supplements without medical advice.
Weight gain guidance is personalised to your pre-pregnancy BMI and should be discussed at your booking visit. The goal is steady, appropriate gain — not dieting and not unrestricted eating.
What are the warning signs that need immediate attention during pregnancy?
Certain symptoms at any stage of pregnancy require urgent review and should not be managed with wait-and-watch at home. Contact Aansh immediately on +91 80056 85160 or via WhatsApp if you experience:
- Vaginal bleeding — at any gestation.
- Severe headache, visual disturbances (blurred vision, flashing lights), or sudden swelling of face, hands, or feet — possible signs of pre-eclampsia.
- Reduced or absent fetal movements after 28 weeks — count kicks; if your baby's usual movement pattern has changed, seek review the same day.
- Fever above 38°C, particularly with painful urination, lower abdominal pain, or rigors.
- Severe abdominal pain or continuous, intense cramping.
- Fluid leaking from the vagina before the expected date — possible preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM).
- Shortness of breath, chest pain, or palpitations.
This is not an exhaustive list. When in doubt, call.
How does antenatal care connect to fertility treatment and IVF pregnancies?
A pregnancy conceived through IVF or other assisted reproductive technologies is biologically identical to a spontaneously conceived pregnancy in most respects, but the antenatal monitoring approach differs in two important ways.
First, IVF pregnancies carry a modestly increased statistical association with certain complications such as placenta praevia, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and low birth weight (per ASRM/ESHRE/FOGSI consensus), which means the monitoring plan is adapted accordingly from the outset.
Second, continuity of care matters enormously. At Aansh, the team that managed your fertility assessment, ovulation induction, or IVF cycle hands over directly into antenatal care with Dr. Shweta Agarwal — so your full history is known, nothing is lost in a referral gap, and the first booking visit is not starting from scratch.
Pregnancies with identified risk factors — twins, previous pregnancy loss, maternal medical conditions — are managed under our high-risk pregnancy pathway from the start. Pre-conception optimisation and carrier screening can be discussed at a prenatal counseling appointment before or early in pregnancy.