During her pregnancy, the mother must insure that she is giving her baby enough nutrients through her food intake. If the mother lacks nutrients, the baby will as well. The average healthy woman gains between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy, although there is no magic number.

In the eighth month, the expectant mother should visit the doctor every two weeks; in the ninth month, she should see the doctor every week. The doctor performs the standard prenatal exams as well as new tests to check on the size and position of the baby. The physician will also check on the womans cervix; if the cervix is soft, it indicates that the baby will be born soon.

Some women undergo screening tests during pregnancy. Her doctor will evaluate each woman and decide on an individual basis if she needs a particular test. These tests alert doctors of potential problems with the fetus:

Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) or Maternal Serum Screening:
This test analyzes the mothers blood. The AFP test looks f ...more