Antenatal
The antenatal period comprises three trimesters. The care during the antenatal period in pregnancy encompasses all trimesters, from the time of conception to childbirth. Antenatal care aims to detect and treat pre-existing health issues or those likely to develop during pregnancy.
Postnatal
The postnatal period begins immediately after the birth of the baby and extends up to six weeks (42 days) after birth. For the purposes of describing care provision, the postnatal period consists of immediate, early and late periods (see following paragraphs)