Introduction
Pregnancy is a special event, and the family and community should treat a pregnant woman with particular care. Pregnant women need to eat and rest more than they do when they are not pregnant. Antenatal care addresses both the psychosocial and the medical needs of the woman, within the context of the health care delivery system and the culture in which she lives.

Periodic health check-ups during the antenatal period are necessary to establish confidence between the woman and her health care provider, to individualize health promotional messages, and to identify and manage any maternal complications or risk factors. Antenatal visits are also used to provide essential services that are recommended for all pregnant women, such as tetanus toxoid, immunization and the prevention of anaemia through nutrition education and provision of iron/folic acid tablets.

Categories of Women for ANC
The new WHO model of antenatal care separates pregnant women into two groups: those likely to need only routine antenatal care (some 75% of the total population of pregnant women), and those with specific health conditions or risk factors that necessitate special care (25% of pregnant women). For the first group, a standard programme of four antenatal visits is recommended (with additional visits should conditions emerge which require special care).