Antenatal care is a planned visit between a pregnant woman and a midwife or doctor to assess and improve the wellbeing of the mother and baby throughout pregnancy. Antenatal care is associated with positive maternal and child health outcomes.
Duration of pregnancy at first antenatal visit
Regular antenatal care in the first trimester (before 14 weeks gestational age) is associated with better maternal health in pregnancy, fewer interventions in late pregnancy and positive child health outcomes.
The Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines (DoH 2018) recommend that a woman has her first antenatal visit within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.