CARA'S TIPSPregnancy, antenatal care, labour, postnatal care, immunisation, infant care and child development
JAMBWAECNECO
What the syllabus asks
JAMB: Parenthood (preparation; planning a family; reproduction; pregnancy; antenatal care; childbirth: labour, delivery; post-natal care, immunisation; parenting: meaning, importance, responsibilities, provision of needs, bathing). JAMB Home Economics B5 (menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, infant care and baby layette, toddlers and immunisation, child development and play, parenting). Medical…
WAEC: Parenthood (preparation; planning a family; reproduction; pregnancy; antenatal care; childbirth: labour, delivery; post-natal care, immunisation; parenting: meaning, importance, responsibilities, provision of needs, bathing). JAMB Home Economics B5 (menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, infant care and baby layette, toddlers and immunisation, child development and play, parenting). Medical…
NECO: Parenthood (preparation; planning a family; reproduction; pregnancy; antenatal care; childbirth: labour, delivery; post-natal care, immunisation; parenting: meaning, importance, responsibilities, provision of needs, bathing). JAMB Home Economics B5 (menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, infant care and baby layette, toddlers and immunisation, child development and play, parenting). Medical…
What you will learn
- Explain how to prepare for parenthood and plan a family.
- Describe conception, pregnancy signs and fetal development.
- Calculate the expected date of delivery.
- Explain antenatal care and danger signs in pregnancy.
- Select a suitable layette.
- Describe the signs and stages of labour and complications.
- Describe post-natal care, breastfeeding and immunisation.
- Explain child development, play and parenting responsibilities.
Key points
- Prepare: health, maturity, finance, knowledge, housing, planning.
- Fertilisation in tube; father’s sperm decides sex.
- Pregnancy ≈ 280 days from LMP; EDD: +7 days −3 months +1 year.
- Antenatal: tests, supplements, malaria prevention, education, danger signs.
- Layette: soft cotton, simple, safe, room to grow.
- Labour: show, contractions, waters; 3 stages.
- Post-natal: rest, diet, hygiene, check-ups; newborn: breastfeed early, warmth, cord care.
- Exclusive breastfeeding 6 months.
- Immunisation from birth; follow the card.
- Development: physical, intellectual, social, emotional.
- Play materials: safe, suitable, durable, washable, cheap.
- Authoritative parenting is most effective; abuse must be reported.
Start here: Preparation for parenthood
Parenthood is the state of being a parent, with responsibility for bearing, raising and caring for children. Preparation for parenthood begins long before a baby arrives: good health, maturity, a stable marriage, adequate income, knowledge of childcare and a planned family size.
Why prepare?
- Children have the right to good care from the start.
- The expanding stage of the family life cycle (he2) places heavy demands on time, energy and money.
- Unplanned parenthood often leads to poverty, poor health and neglect.
Areas of preparation
- Health: balanced diet; treatment of any illness; knowledge of genotype, blood group and HIV status; folic acid before and in early pregnancy to reduce neural tube defects (as advised by a health worker); avoiding alcohol, smoking and unprescribed drugs.
- Emotional: readiness to give time, love and patience; stable relationship between partners.
- Financial: savings for antenatal care, delivery, layette, food and future fees; health insurance where available.
- Knowledge: attend antenatal classes; learn feeding, bathing and immunisation.
- Housing: safe, clean, well-ventilated space for the baby.
- Family planning: decide number and spacing of children (he3).
Planning a family
Couples should agree on how many children they want, when to start, and spacing (health workers advise at least about two years after a birth before the next pregnancy). They should consider income, health, housing, career goals and religious beliefs. Planning enables each child to receive adequate nutrition, attention and education.
Reproduction
Human reproduction is sexual. The man produces sperm in the testes; the woman releases an ovum (egg) from an ovary roughly once each menstrual cycle (ovulation), commonly around 14 days before the next period. If sperm meets the ovum in the fallopian tube, fertilisation occurs. The fertilised egg (zygote) divides and moves to the uterus, where it implants in the lining. The sex of the baby is determined by the father’s sperm: an X-bearing sperm gives a girl (XX); a Y-bearing sperm gives a boy (XY). Blaming a wife for having only daughters is therefore unscientific and unfair.
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Practice questions
- 17 October 2026
- 10 October 2026
- 3 October 2026
- 17 November 2026
Show answer
A: 17 October 2026
Add 7 days and 9 months.
- 30 weeks
- 36 days
- 52 weeks
- 40 weeks from the LMP
Show answer
D: 40 weeks from the LMP
280 days.
- 2
- 12
- 8
- 4
Show answer
C: 8
Updated from the old 4-visit model.
- at 15 months
- at birth
- at 6 weeks
- at 9 months
Show answer
B: at birth
Protects against severe TB.
- five
- three
- two
- seven
Show answer
A: five
Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, Hib.
Key words
- Parenthood
- Being a parent and its responsibilities.
- Ovulation
- Release of an egg from the ovary.
- Fertilisation
- Union of sperm and egg.
- Implantation
- Attachment of embryo to the uterus.
- Placenta
- Organ that nourishes the fetus.
- Trimester
- One of three periods of pregnancy.
- EDD
- Estimated date of delivery.
- Antenatal care
- Care of a woman during pregnancy.
- Pre-eclampsia
- High blood pressure disorder of pregnancy.
- Layette
- Clothes and items for a newborn.
- Labour
- Process of giving birth.
- Caesarean section
- Delivery by abdominal operation.
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