REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
A 25 year old married woman came to the outpatient department of the hospital and complained of being sick in the mornings, getting breast changes like tenderness, increased frequency in urination and fatigue. She already suspected that she is pregnant but she wanted to have a laboratory test to verify it. She also wanted to get prenatal care in case she is really pregnant. Laboratory tests and examination revealed that the woman is indeed pregnant. She is still on her firt month of pregnancy.
The woman is then instructed for her prenatal care including her schedules visits to the obstetrics department of the hospital. The woman’s husband was also there and was also instructed as well. Prenatal care is the routine examination of the pregnant woman by a qualified health car professional. Her personal medical history was obtained as this will be necessary for reference regarding her prenatal care.
It was revealed from her medical records that this is the first time that the woman got pregnant and both she and her husband are very excited. The couple is also advised on what changes they should expect from the pregnancy. They were also explained of the causes of her fatigue, increased frequency in urination, and morning sickness and were given advice on how to manage these symptoms.
Throughout her first and second trimester she was asked to visit the obstetrics department five times only. It seemed that the woman is healthy and has no problems regarding her pregnancy. She and her husband seemed to follow religiously the advice that was given them when they first visited the hospital. They also took all the necessary precautions to avoid mishaps that might affect the developing fetus.
The most apparent of the many reactions of the mother to the developing fetus within her embryo and to the excessive hormones of pregnancy is the increased size of the various sexual organs. The woman noted this, as well as the health care professionals that took care of her. She was told that it is only normal and is nothing to be worried about.
During the times when I had to assist with some other health care professionals in her prenatal care, she seemed so excited yet worried at the same time. I thought that this could just be normal as this experience is very new to her and she is not so sure what to expect. She is constantly asking questions about her situation. She did learn a lot from continually asking and in a way it had helped her continue through her pregnancy safely.
On my part, the experience also taught me a lot. Other than knowing the usual signs and symptoms of pregnancy and what caused them physiologically, I also learned how these expecting mothers feel about their situation. It is a different thing to learn things from books and experience them in reality. Hearing from a pregnant woman describe the changes that she is experiencing throughout her first and second trimester of pregnancy makes one understand better the miracle of pregnancy.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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