BABIES Tests Can Tell You A Lot (NAPSA)—Arecent survey reveals two-thirds of American women aged 18 to 44 who became pregnant found out about their pregnancies by using a home pregnancy test. More than one- quarter of mothers who became pregnant without trying said they would have made different prenatal care choices if they had found out they were pregnant sooner. “The sooner you find out you're pregnant, the better for you and for your baby,” says Janis Biermann, Vice President of Education and Health Promotion, for the March of Dimes. “Women whoget early and regular health care during pregnancy have healthier babies, are less likely to deliver prematurely (prior to 37 completed weeks gestation) and are less likely to have other serious problemsrelated to pregnancy.” Premature births are on the rise in the United States and the March of Dimes says one in eight babies is born prematurely each year. “Leading a healthy lifestyle is important to any woman’s health. When she’s pregnant, it becomes critical to both her and her baby. Therefore, the sooner a woman learns she is pregnant, the sooner she can begin prenatal care and promote a healthy start to her baby’s life,” said Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist in private practice in New Haven, It’s important to know right away if you’re pregnant. Conn., and clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine. A home pregnancy test that detects pregnancy first is FIRST RESPONSE Early Result Pregnancy Test, giving a woman a result up to five days before the first day of her missed period. The survey also showed that 11 percent of women who have been pregnant report they didn’t know how to take care of themselves properly during pregnancy. “The most important thing a pregnant womancan do is learn of her pregnancy as early as possible,” advises Dr. Minkin. “That way she can see her doctor right away and be educated as to proper prenatal care whichis absolutely critical.” For more information, visit www.firstresponse.com. To learn more about prenatal care, go to the March of Dimes Website at www.marchofdimes.com.
