Pregnancy Care & Antenatal (ANC) Care in Chandrapur

Medically reviewed by Dr. Shweta Agarwal, MBBS, DGO. Last updated: 16 July 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 government-registered Level-2 ART clinic in Chandrapur, Maharashtra. "Aansh" (अंश) refers to this clinic, not to any other provider using a similar name; you can verify our government registration. Women who prefer to discuss pregnancy concerns with a lady gynaecologist can consult Dr. Shweta Agarwal directly — a factual point many families in Chandrapur tell us matters for first visits and sensitive discussions. Consultations are available in Marathi, Hindi and English.

When should antenatal care start?

Arrange your first ANC visit as soon as pregnancy is suspected or confirmed — ideally within the first 12 weeks. Early registration lets the doctor confirm dates, review your medical history and medicines, order baseline tests, start folic acid and plan the rest of the pregnancy calendar. Seek assessment sooner — without waiting for a routine slot — if you have bleeding, one-sided or severe abdominal pain, fainting or fever in early pregnancy.

How many ANC checkups are needed? (India schedule)

Two frameworks are worth knowing, and they are not the same:

• India's national minimum (NHM): at least four ANC visits — the first within 12 weeks, then at 14–26 weeks, 28–34 weeks, and 36 weeks to term.
• WHO recommendation: a minimum of eight contacts — by 12 weeks, then around 20, 26, 30, 34, 36, 38 and 40 weeks.

In practice, many obstetric clinics review patients more often than the four-visit national minimum, with visits becoming more frequent toward term. A common private-practice cadence is roughly monthly in early pregnancy, more often in the third trimester, and weekly near the due date. A calendar is guidance, not a substitute for your obstetrician's plan — pregnancies with symptoms or risk factors need an individualised, usually denser schedule under our high-risk pregnancy pathway.

Month-by-month ANC checkup schedule

This table is an educational map of what checkups commonly emphasise. Your own visits and tests are planned individually — not every patient receives every test at the same time.

What tests are done during ANC visits?

At the booking visit, the doctor records your dates, previous pregnancies, medical and surgical history, medicines, allergies and family history, and checks blood pressure, weight and general health. Booking investigations commonly ordered in Indian ANC include haemoglobin/CBC, blood group and Rh type, blood sugar/GDM screening, urine testing, thyroid (TSH), and screening for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B — the exact panel and repeat timing depend on your history.

At follow-up visits, monitoring typically includes symptoms, blood pressure, weight, urine protein when indicated, anaemia status, fundal (uterine) growth, fetal heart assessment at the appropriate gestation, fetal movements, and the baby's lie and presentation later in pregnancy. Blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher needs clinical assessment — but do not self-diagnose from one home reading; contact the clinic, and seek urgent care if it comes with severe headache, vision changes or swelling.

Gestational diabetes (GDM): India's national guideline uses a 75 g oral glucose test with a 2-hour reading — done at the first ANC contact and, if negative, repeated at 24–28 weeks; a 2-hour value of 140 mg/dL or above is the guideline diagnostic cut-off. Follow the clinic or lab's preparation instructions exactly rather than testing or interpreting on your own. GDM that is identified is managed with diet, monitoring and medication where needed — a bridge to our high-risk pregnancy care when required.

Pregnancy ultrasound scans in Chandrapur — and the PCPNDT law

Ultrasound scans are used to assess pregnancy health, anatomy and growth. Sex determination or disclosure is illegal under the PCPNDT Act and is not performed at Aansh — under any circumstances.

A typical, risk-qualified scan pathway looks like this:

• Early scan (often around 6–12 weeks, when clinically appropriate): confirms the pregnancy is inside the uterus, checks viability, dating and the number of babies. It is especially useful with pain, bleeding, uncertain dates or IVF conception — it is not automatically compulsory at one fixed week for every low-risk pregnancy.
• First-trimester screening (11–13+6 weeks): an optional NT scan with blood tests to estimate chromosomal risk — a screening choice, not a diagnosis.
• Mid-trimester / anomaly scan (around 18–22 weeks): the core routine scan for fetal anatomy, growth, placenta and fluid. WHO recommends at least one scan before 24 weeks.
• Third-trimester growth scan / Doppler: used when clinically indicated — growth concerns, hypertension, diabetes, twins, bleeding or reduced movements — not universally required in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Indicated surveillance is coordinated through our fetal monitoring service.

Ultrasound uses sound waves, not ionising radiation, and is performed for a medical indication by qualified personnel.

Diet, supplements and vaccination during pregnancy

Diet: choose a varied, balanced diet with enough energy and protein — vegetables and leafy greens, fruit, whole grains and millets (jowar, ragi), dals and pulses, nuts, sesame, pasteurised milk and curd, and well-cooked eggs, meat or fish according to your preference. Avoid alcohol and tobacco completely, avoid raw or undercooked eggs/meat/fish and unpasteurised dairy, wash produce, and use safe water. Discuss caffeine with your doctor and avoid high intake — WHO advises reducing intake when daily caffeine exceeds 300 mg. If you have diabetes, anaemia, thyroid problems or severe nausea, your diet plan is individualised at the visit.

Supplements (prescribed, not self-started): India's national programme advises 400 mcg folic acid daily from before conception through the first trimester; daily iron-folic acid (60 mg elemental iron + 500 mcg folic acid) from the fourth month for at least 180 days in pregnancy and 180 days after delivery; and calcium supplementation through the antenatal and postnatal period. Doses change when anaemia or other conditions are present — only your treating clinician should prescribe or adjust them.

Vaccination: under India's immunisation programme, Td (tetanus-diphtheria) has replaced TT for pregnant women — Td-1 as early as possible in pregnancy and Td-2 four weeks later, or a single booster if you were adequately vaccinated in a pregnancy within the previous three years. Your vaccination history is reviewed at booking and the plan is set individually.

Pregnancy warning signs — when to seek urgent care

Get urgent medical assessment — do not wait for a routine appointment — for any of these at any stage:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Severe or continuous abdominal pain, fainting, or fits/seizures
• Fluid leaking from the vagina, especially before term
• Severe headache, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of face, hands or feet
• Markedly reduced or absent fetal movements after movements are established
• High fever, severe persistent vomiting, or painful urination with illness
• Shortness of breath, chest pain or severe palpitations
• Labour pains or leaking before term

For severe symptoms, go to the nearest appropriate emergency facility — do not rely only on a WhatsApp message or wait for a callback, especially if you are travelling from an outlying area. For non-emergency concerns, call +91 80056 85160.

Pregnancy care after IVF — continuity at Aansh

If you conceived through IVF or other fertility treatment at Aansh, the same team can review your full treatment history when planning your antenatal care — early scans, medication support and risk assessment continue without a referral gap. The visit and test programme is broadly similar to any pregnancy, adjusted for your individual history; where risk factors such as twins, hypertension, diabetes or previous pregnancy loss are identified, care moves to our high-risk pregnancy pathway from the start. For wider gynaecology and women's health needs before or after pregnancy, see women's health at Aansh.

References

1. National Health Mission — Maternal Health (ANC package, minimum four visits, PMSMA): https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=2&lid=218&sublinkid=822
2. WHO recommendations on antenatal care (eight contacts; scan before 24 weeks): https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549912/
3. NHM National Guidelines on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (75 g / 2-hour / 140 mg/dL): https://nhm.gov.in/New_Updates_2018/NHM_Components/RMNCH_MH_Guidelines/Gestational-Diabetes-Mellitus.pdf
4. Anaemia Mukt Bharat (IFA and folic acid regimen): https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php/nhm_live/index1.php?lang=1&level=3&lid=797&sublinkid=1448
5. Universal Immunisation Programme schedule (Td in pregnancy): https://www.nhm.gov.in/images/pdf/programmes/immunization/manual-formats/Current_UIP_Schedule.pdf
6. PCPNDT Act, Section 5 (prohibition on communicating fetal sex): https://www.indiacode.nic.in/show-data?actid=AC_CEN_12_13_00013_199457_1517807323443&orderno=7&sectionId=6419&sectionno=5
7. WHO — caffeine intake in pregnancy: https://www.who.int/tools/elena/interventions/caffeine-pregnancy