Introduction

The prenatal period is a preparatory time for a mother to prepare herself both physically and psychologically to give birth to the foetus and bring her/him up. It is a time of immense anxiety, excitement and learning by the expectant mother.

Moreover, it is the time when close supervision is needed by the health care providers through identifying and possibly treating maternal disorders that may have been pre-existent or developed during the pregnancy. And the best way to ensure these is to provide the necessary care for the pregnant mother and her infant through early and attentive antenatal care.

During pregnancy, there are changes that take place in the body of the pregnant women resulting from several factors including hormonal influence, the growth of the fetus inside the uterus, the woman's physical adaptation to the changes that are occurring. Hormones are chemicals produced in the body and circulating in the blood responsible for controlling and/or regulating the activity of different cells or organs.

In this study session, you will learn about changes in the female reproductive system during pregnancy and assistants that you are expected to provide as a health care provider.