Prenatal nursing assessment of the expectant family.

This article provides a guide for the nurse practitioner conducting a prenatal pediatric visit with expectant parents. With their backgrounds in biological and social sciences, nurse practitioners are uniquely prepared to assess families prenatally and to plan strategies and interventions which will promote their optimal adjustment to parenthood. Major content areas of the prenatal visit include health assessment of the pregnant woman and the family; assessment of the family; assessment of the readiness to parent; and assessment of the provider-parent fit. Special focus is placed on the problems encountered and appropriate interventions indicated in assessing and working with high-risk families.