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TRYING TO CONCEIVE INTRODUCTION
By planning
for a pregnancy, you can make early choices
that will help ensure a healthy baby.
As well, preparation will help you handle
the physical stress of pregnancy, labor, and
delivery.
Most women are
not aware that they are pregnant for two to
six weeks after they conceive. Because your
baby begins rapidly growing even during
these early weeks, it is very important to
be in good health before you become
pregnant. Not only will being in optimal
health be good for your baby once you are
pregnant, it will also improve your
fertility if you are trying to conceive.
The following
segments will provide you with helpful
information on planning a healthy pregnancy.
As well, you will find comprehensive
information on fertility, and causes and
treatments for infertility.
PRECONCEPTION
HEALTH
How you take care of yourself before you
conceive can greatly improve your odds on
having a trouble-free pregnancy and a
healthy baby. Because a baby’s organs begin
forming during the first four weeks after
conception, it is important to review your
lifestyle, diet, and health issues prior to
pregnancy.
The following seven steps will help give
your baby a great start:
Schedule a pre-pregnancy checkup with
your doctor
-
Inform your doctor of your intentions to
become pregnant. Your doctor will review any
possible risks, test for sexually
transmitted diseases, discuss current
medications, and make sure that you are
up-to-date on vaccinations. If you or your
husband has a family history of birth
defects, the doctor might refer you to a
genetic counselor for further screening.
-
Don’t forget to also make an appointment
with the dentist for a cleaning and
evaluation. Healthy teeth and gums are also
important for a healthy pregnancy.
Eat Healthy and Exercise Moderately
-
This is the opportunity to make an extra
effort to eat a variety of healthy foods
every day. Avoid foods high in fat and
sugar. Limit caffeine intake and eliminate
alcoholic beverages. If you are overweight,
try to lose weight prior to pregnancy.
Overweight women who are pregnant have
substantially higher rates of pregnancy
complications than women who are a healthy
weight. Underweight women frequently have
difficulty becoming pregnant.
-
Prior to pregnancy is a good time to start
an exercise regime. Exercise can help you
lose or maintain your weight. As well, it
can help strengthen your muscles and
decrease stress. Make sure to discuss any
new exercise program with your doctor prior
to starting.
Eliminate Smoking, Alcohol, and
Illegal Drugs
-
Smoking, alcohol, and drugs can make it
harder to become pregnant. They can greatly
increase your chance of miscarriage and
pre-term labor. As well, they can put your
baby at risk of serious mental and physical
problems. If you need help stopping smoking,
drinking or taking drugs, contact your
doctor before you become pregnant.
Take Folic Acid
-
Because a baby’s brain and spinal cord begin
developing in the first four weeks of
pregnancy, it is important to take a
multivitamin with 400 mg of folic acid every
day for at least a month before you begin
trying to become pregnant and throughout
pregnancy. Your doctor may prescribe a
prenatal vitamin that provides the necessary
folic acid.
-
Folate, the natural form of folic acid, can
also be found in orange juice, fortified
cereals, and spinach.
Avoid Infection
-
Avoid foods that increase the odds of
food-borne infections that can hurt your
unborn baby. These foods include soft
cheeses, un-pasteurized milk, undercooked
meat, and raw eggs.
-
Avoid cat litter and soil as they can
contain a parasite called Toxoplasmosis that
may cause miscarriage.
Reduce Stress
-
Although stress is a part of almost
everyone’s life, it is important to keep
stress to a minimum during a pregnancy. High
levels of stress have been linked to
pre-term labor, low birth weight babies, and
miscarriage.
Improve Your Partner’s Health, too!
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