Women’s Hospital of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), is promoting the benefits of antenatal care through a series of educational classes for helping women prepare for pregnancy, labour and a normal childbirth.
“By offering a series of face-to-face antenatal classes, our goal is to better prepare women both physically and mentally for those early days and weeks of parenting,” said Sharifa al-Malki, director, Patient Education and Nursing, Women’s Hospital.
“Having a baby is a life-changing event that can be very stressful for a new parent; constantly trying to juggle both her own concerns as well as those of her unborn child. Fortunately there are a variety of methods that women can use to help combat pregnancy stress that are gentle, non-invasive, and offer many positive benefits.”
The Patient Family Education team at Women’s Hospital will offer the mothers-to-be eight classes spanning from her first trimester until birth. In the initial two sessions, they will be given tips about diet and exercise and how to cope with discomfort such as nausea, vomiting and constipation.
During their second trimester, women will learn about breastfeeding, foetal growth monitoring, weight gain and weight control. The last set of classes will focus on teaching participants how good breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and muscle toning movements will ease labour and delivery.  
“By partnering with women throughout their pregnancy, we hope to reduce the number of deliveries through Caesarean section, which can hold a number of risks for both mother and child,” said Haila S S Johar, executive director of nursing at Women’s Hospital.
“A natural delivery will ultimately help reduce a woman’s recovery time in the hospital, while decreasing the risk of abdominal pain, infection after delivery, and injury to the internal organs such as the bladder. It will also make future births less at risk of complications,” she added.
Mothers attending antenatal classes during their third trimester will also learn about newborn care, immunisations and dealing with postpartum stress. Currently, classes are open to all women and will be held from 9am to 11am daily in the designated women’s waiting room at the hospital. In addition to learning, participants will have an opportunity to discuss and share their ideas or concerns with staff and other mothers-to-be and to participate in a hospital tour every Thursday.  
The Patient Family Education team was recently recognised at the Middle East Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare 2016, for their contribution to making quality and patient safety improvements under the category Patient-Centred Care/Patient Engagement.