Importance of prenatal care for expecting moms to avoid high-risk deliveries

Governor Greg Abbott brought light to maternal health by declaring an awareness day on Jan. 23 of this year. But it's an issue year-round and the University Medical Center of El Paso is providing resources for those with lack of support.

A lot of women aren't aware of the number issues they can face during pregnancy and even after delivery.

UMC says 30% of their patients don't have prenatal care.

Gloria Delgado, assistant administrator of UMC's Women's Services says anemia that's not managed during pregnancy can cause postpartum hemorrhaging.

That's why prenatal vitamins like iron and folic acid are crucial -- not only for the baby's development, but to prevent hemorrhaging in the mother.

Hypertension isn't preventable during pregnancy, which is why Delgado says prenatal care and routine checkups are important for monitoring.

"Having a child is a big change, hormonal and mental, everything," says Delgado. "Your body goes through a whole transformation again just to sustain the pregnancy and after delivery. So that's why it needs to be monitored."

In those checkups, women should get tested for infections like syphilis and streptococcus B.

Both can be passed along to the baby, and congenital syphilis can cause neurological issues. But they can be treated during pregnancy with antibiotics.

UMC says 80% of patients get the baby blues up to a couple of days after delivery after hormonal changes. But they say postpartum depression needs to be monitored and clinically diagnosed over time.

"If it's preventable, we will win the Nobel Peace Prize. If we knew how to prevent postpartum depression, unfortunately we can't," Delgado says. "We just can monitor and make sure that we assist the patients to get the treatment that is needed."

Delgado also says it can be dangerous to get pregnant less than a year after a delivery. The body needs at least one to two years to recover, or else the second pregnancy is at higher risk.

Child birth rates continue to decline and Delgado believes it can be due to education pushing women to wait longer to have kids or even working towards financial stability first.

Another reason, she says, could be due to new or expecting moms feeling a lack of support. UMC says they provide free prenatal care classes for everyone.

"We have seen a change since families are becoming smaller and smaller. It used to be five, six children, now it's one or two," Delgado explains. "We also see their support going down or decreasing because of the number of people involved in the family. I think it's more societal and cultural, changes that are affecting the support to the mom."

They have their women's resource center with lactation consultants to teach moms on breastfeeding, which they say is healthier for the baby and provides colostrum — a nutrient that strengthens the baby's immunity and is very important for winter time to protect against respiratory viruses.

Delgado also says formula doesn't provide those benefits that breast feeding does.

The lactation consultations are solely for UMC patients, but you can schedule appointments for any of their resources on their website, here.