The majority of pregnant women are aware that they must make adjustments to their lifestyle, in addition to seeing a physician or midwife. However, it is of equal significance to begin making adjustments well before you have a child. You will be able to better prepare yourself and your body for pregnancy by following these instructions, which will also increase the likelihood that you will have a healthy baby.
Know your health before you get pregnant
Your health before to becoming pregnant is referred to as your pre-pregnancy health. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle before trying to conceive will significantly increase your chances of being successful. Additionally, it lowers the risk of having difficulties during pregnancy if you do become pregnant. A healthy pre-pregnancy lifestyle entails going in for a pre-pregnancy checkup and having a discussion with your health care provider about any preexisting conditions that might pose a risk to your unborn child. It also includes taking folic acid to help avoid birth defects and making changes in your lifestyle that may affect the health of your baby when you do get pregnant. Folic acid is a B vitamin that is found in leafy green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.
If you are considering becoming pregnant, you should begin concentrating on improving your health at least three months before you start attempting to conceive a child. It may take you longer to prepare your body ready to carry a baby if you have preexisting health issues that have the potential to disrupt a pregnancy.
What is the significance of a pre-pregnancy checkup for your family’s health history?
You, your partner, and everyone in your family’s medical history are documented in your family’s health history. Preparing your family history ahead of time will allow you to provide it to your healthcare professional at your prenatal visit. Gather information by filling out the March of Dimes Family Health History Form. Your family’s medical history can be useful to your doctor.
Investigate any health issues that may run in your family or among the members of your partner’s ethnic group. A group of individuals who share a common language or culture are referred to as an ethnicity. Sickle cell disease and Tay-Sachs disease are more common in people from certain ethnic groups. Tay-Sachs and other genetic disorders are more common in Ashkenazi Jews than in the general population.
Identify the underlying cause of a health issue you experienced during a previous pregnancy. To figure out what’s wrong, your doctor may order tests like a blood test or an ultrasound. Preventing the same problem from occurring again in future pregnancies is made easier by undergoing treatment.
Take care of any health issues before you get pregnant. It is possible that some long-term (chronic) health disorders can cause complications during pregnancy and, in rare cases, birth abnormalities. A healthy pregnancy and healthy child are more likely when you receive treatment for diseases such as high blood pressure, lupus, and PKU before you become pregnant.
Educate yourself on nutrition
Each and every cell in your body requires folic acid for proper growth and development. It can help reduce brain and spine birth abnormalities if taken before and early in pregnancy (also called neural tube defects or NTDs). When a child is born with a health problem, we call that condition a birth defect. Defects in foetal development alter the form or function of several body parts. They have the potential to negatively impact a person’s health in general, as well as the way their body develops and functions.
Pregnancy vitamin supplements containing 400 mcg of folic acid per day can help prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in your unborn child. If you’re not getting enough of a certain nutrient from your diet, you can take a supplement to make up for it. Before you get pregnant and throughout the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy, begin taking 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Folic acid supplements are available in a variety of forms, including:
- It’s a multivitamin This is a supplement that provides your body with a wide range of vitamins and other nutrients.
- A dietary supplement for women who are expecting a baby.
- Pregnant women should take this multivitamin since it contains essential elements.
- Prenatal vitamins can either be prescribed by your doctor or purchased over the counter without a prescription. Folic acid is the only ingredient in this product.
Even if you have no intention of getting pregnant, you should take a daily vitamin supplement containing 400 mcg of folic acid because roughly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.
Take 4,000 mcg of folic acid daily if you’re at high risk of having a baby with an NTD. Pregnant women should take 4,000 mcg per day during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. For more information on how much folic acid you need, speak with your healthcare professional. Taking multiple multivitamins or prenatal vitamins is not recommended due to the risk of ingesting too many nutrients, some of which may be damaging to your health. Your healthcare professional may advise you on the safest and most effective means of obtaining the recommended daily allowance of folic acid. If you’re one of the following people:
- You’ve previously been pregnant with an NTD.
- You or your lover suffers from NTDs.
- Your husband is the father of a child who was born with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NTD).
The folic acid in food can also be found in fortified foods such as breads and cereals, pasta, tortillas, and chips prepared from a type of flour called corn masa. To learn how much folic acid is in each serving, look at the product label. In addition, folic acid can be found in some fruits and vegetables. Folate is the name given to folic acid that occurs naturally in a diet. The folate-rich foods include beans, broccoli, leafy greens, and orange juice.
Influence of weight on the probability of becoming pregnant
Yes. Pregnant women who are overweight or underweight are more likely to suffer health issues (weigh too little). The following are some of the issues:
- A baby born too early. This is a premature birth, occurring before the 37th week of gestation. When a baby is delivered prematurely, he or she is more likely to suffer health issues both at birth and later in life.
- Deficiencies at birth. These are pre-existing medical issues that are present from the moment of conception. They alter one or more components of the body’s structure or function. Birth defects can have an impact on a child’s overall health, development, and function.
- Diabetes. Diabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar (also known as glucose) levels are too high. Blood arteries, nerves, eyes, and kidneys can all be damaged by high blood sugar levels. Having diabetes during pregnancy can cause complications.
- Diabetic hypertension (also called hypertension). It’s when the pressure of blood on your arteries is too great that you’ve got hypertension. Pregnancy can be dangerous for women with high blood pressure.
Talk to your healthcare practitioner about what weight is best for you. Your doctor may do a body mass index (BMI) assessment . Based on your height and weight, BMI calculates how much fat you have in your body. It can assist you in determining whether or not you need to put on or shed pounds. Your pre-pregnancy BMI helps your healthcare professional determine how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy.
Everyday physical activity you needed before pregnancy
Moderate-intensity activities like brisk walking and weight training should be done two days a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are different guidelines for different levels of exercise. In addition, you don’t have to complete the entire two and half hours all at one time. Break it up throughout the course of the week by doing a little amount each day.
Keep up the good work if you’re already in shape! Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to getting back into shape. Before beginning any physical activity, speak with your healthcare physician.
- There is a high probability that you have or are at risk for heart disease.
- At some point in your life, it is likely that you will have a stroke.
- You either already have diabetes or are at high risk of developing it.
- You have a lot of extra weight on you. In order to be considered obese, you must have a BMI of 30 or greater and an excess quantity of body fat. Based on your height and weight, BMI calculates how much fat you have in your body.
- Helps determine whether you should gain or shed pounds.
- Because of an injury or impairment you’ve suffered, you’ve had surgery.
- A bleeding or detached retina, as a result of previous eye surgery or laser treatment, necessitates immediate attention. The nerve tissue lining the back of the eye is known as the retina.
- There are several health disorders that might be problematic for you and your unborn child when pregnant if you don’t engage in regular physical activity. It can also help you manage stress, sleep better, and kick the habit.
Simple guidelines you should follow before pregnancy
What you can do is as follows:
Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or take street narcotics
All of these things can make it more difficult for you to conceive a child. In the event that you do become pregnant, your unborn child will be harmed by them. If you need help quitting, you should let your provider know. Also, avoid being around people who are smoking around you. This smoke was produced by the cigarettes, cigars, or pipes of another individual.
Always follow your doctor’s instructions when taking prescription medications
Abuse of prescribed medication is not allowed. A medicine that requires a prescription is one that your healthcare professional has authorised for you to consume in order to treat a specific medical condition. To obtain the medication, you are need to have a prescription, also known as an order from your provider. If your healthcare practitioner tells you that you can take a certain amount of a medication, don’t take more than that amount, don’t take it with alcohol or other drugs, and don’t take anybody else’s prescription medication. Make sure that any healthcare provider who gives you a prescription is aware that you are attempting to conceive a child.
Take precautions to avoid catching any diseases or viruses that could potentially impact your pregnancy
Toxoplasmosis and lymphocytic choriomeningitis are two examples of these diseases (also called LCMV). Toxoplasmosis is an infection that can be contracted by ingesting meat that has not been properly prepared or by coming into contact with cat faeces. Taking care of rodents like hamsters, mice, and guinea pigs can expose you to the lung cancer virus (LCMV). If you own one of these types of dogs or a cat, you should ask someone else to take care of them and clean the litter box for you. Make sure that any meat you eat has been cooked through completely.
At work or at home, hazardous chemicals should never be used
Inquire with your healthcare practitioner about the possibility that the chemicals you use could have an impact on either your ability to conceive a child or the wellbeing of the child if you do conceive. Certain pollutants have been linked to an increased risk of birth abnormalities. If you work with chemicals, you should discuss modifying your job obligations before and while you are pregnant with your supervisor.
Try to relax more often
It is important to develop healthy strategies to handle stress before becoming pregnant, as high levels of stress during pregnancy can lead to a number of complications. Managing stress can be accomplished by moving your body, maintaining a good diet, and getting enough sleep. Tell your provider that you are severely stressed out if you can. He is able to assist you in locating a counsellor who can assist you in managing and reducing your stress.
Final Words
It is never too soon to start preparing for pregnancy, regardless of whether you are actively trying to conceive a child or are merely considering the possibility of doing so. Preconception health and health care centre on the activities that a woman can engage in prior to becoming pregnant and in the time that elapses between pregnancies in order to improve her chances of having a healthy child. The process of getting a woman’s body ready for pregnancy can take several months for some people. It could take a little bit longer for the other women.