Pregnancy is a season of hope, but it is also a season that deserves close medical attention. Most complications in pregnancy are preventable or manageable when they are picked up early, and antenatal care is how we pick them up early.

At Fountain of Hope Hospital, our maternity team walks with mothers from the first booking visit through delivery and beyond. Here are five things every expectant mother in Ado-Ekiti should know.

1. Start antenatal care early — and keep coming

Book your first antenatal visit as soon as you suspect you are pregnant, ideally within the first twelve weeks. That first visit establishes your baseline: blood pressure, weight, blood group and genotype, packed cell volume, and screening for conditions such as HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis, all of which can be managed to protect your baby if found early.

The World Health Organization recommends at least eight antenatal contacts across a pregnancy, rather than the four that many women grew up expecting. More contacts mean more chances to catch a problem while it is still small. If money or transport makes regular visits difficult, tell us — it is better to plan around the difficulty than to disappear from care.

2. Take your supplements, even when you feel well

Two supplements do the heavy lifting in pregnancy:

  • Folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, which affect the baby's brain and spine. It works in the earliest weeks, often before a woman knows she is pregnant, which is why it is recommended for any woman who may become pregnant.
  • Iron protects against anaemia. Anaemia in pregnancy is common in Nigeria and it matters, because a mother who bleeds at delivery has far less reserve to cope with it.

Feeling well is not evidence that your levels are fine. Anaemia is often silent until it is severe.

3. Take malaria in pregnancy seriously

Malaria is more dangerous in pregnancy than outside it. It causes anaemia in the mother and low birth weight in the baby, and it can trigger miscarriage or preterm labour.

Two measures protect you. Sleep every night under a long-lasting insecticide-treated net, including in the dry season. And take intermittent preventive treatment as directed at your antenatal visits, starting in the second trimester. Do not buy antimalarials over the counter and self-treat during pregnancy — some drugs that are safe outside pregnancy are not safe within it.

Ask about tetanus

Tetanus toxoid vaccination during pregnancy protects both you and your newborn against neonatal tetanus, which remains a preventable cause of newborn death. Your antenatal team will tell you how many doses you need based on your vaccination history.

4. Eat well, rest well, and move gently

You do not need expensive food to eat well in pregnancy. Local staples cover most of what you need when they are combined thoughtfully: beans, groundnuts and eggs for protein; ugu, efo and other dark green vegetables for iron and folate; oranges, pawpaw and mango for vitamin C, which helps your body absorb that iron; and small dried fish eaten whole for calcium.

Wash fruits and vegetables in clean water, cook meat and eggs thoroughly, and drink water you trust. Gentle daily activity such as walking supports circulation and sleep. Avoid alcohol and tobacco entirely, and check with us before taking any herbal preparation — "natural" does not reliably mean safe in pregnancy.

5. Know the danger signs

This is the most important section of this article. Come to the hospital immediately, at any hour, if you experience any of the following:

Come in immediately if you notice

Bleeding from the vagina · severe or persistent headache · blurred vision or seeing flashing lights · swelling of the face and hands · severe abdominal pain · fever · fluid leaking from the vagina before your due date · a noticeable reduction in your baby's movements · convulsions or fainting · difficulty breathing.

Headache with visual changes and swelling can signal pre-eclampsia, a condition that becomes dangerous quickly but responds well to prompt treatment. Reduced fetal movement is always worth checking, even if you feel otherwise fine. We would far rather see you for a false alarm than see you late.

Booking your antenatal care with us

Our maternity service covers antenatal check-ups, delivery, postnatal care and newborn care, and we are open twenty-four hours a day. You can book an appointment through this website, call us on +234 803 355 3087, or walk in to 51 Iro Street, Odo-Ado, Ado-Ekiti.

A note on this article. This information is general health education and does not replace a consultation. Every patient is different, and advice that suits one person may not suit another. Please speak to a doctor or nurse at Fountain of Hope Hospital before acting on anything you read here, especially if you are pregnant, managing a long-term condition, or taking regular medication.

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