5 Tips for effective pregnancy planning

March 19th, 2006

When the time seems right to start a family, you can take steps toward a healthy and happy outcome. Pre-conception planning helps to set the stage for your baby’s birth.

You don’t need to be a first-time mother to benefit from a pre-pregnancy check with your doctor. New medical information is always becoming available that can help ensure the health of mother and baby.
 

1. Meeting with Your Doctor
Your doctor will examine your present state of health, as well as your family medical history and potential risk factors. You want to be in the best possible physical condition before you conceive. If you have chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes, you need to get these under control months in advance. Your doctor will discuss with you any medications you are taking and your past immunizations that will protect you and your developing baby.

If you need to lose significant weight, the best time is before you stop your birth control method. Beginning or continuing a moderate exercise program is also important. In most cases, you should be able to safely engage in gentle exercise such as walking or swimming throughout most of your pregnancy. Let your doctor be your guide.
 

2. Special Precautions
Some medications may make it harder to get pregnant, and others may cause birth defects. Your doctor will advise you as to drugs and substances such as alcohol which you should avoid if you are “with child.” Some vaccines are unsafe to receive during pregnancy. In addition, various natural herbs can have unknown risks. When in doubt, don’t consume them. What you eat and drink will be especially important to your child’s development.

You should eat a balanced diet, including foods from all five food groups. Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as good calcium intake are especially important. Prenatal vitamins containing 1miligram of folic acid are recommended. Start taking folic acid as soon as you are thinking of getting pregnant.
 

3. Genetic Testing
If your family history indicates a possibility of carrying a child with certain genetic defects such as Sickle Cell Anemia, Cystic Fibrosis, or Tay-Sachs Disease, you may want to go in for genetic testing. Screening tests for these potential diseases are now widely available.
 

4. General Health Practices
You improve your chances of having a healthy baby if you observe the following healthy practices. You might want to make a reminder list and post it on your refrigerator:
· Maintain a healthy weight
· Eat a balanced diet
· Take multivitamins containing 1 mg folic acid before and after conception
· Get plenty of sleep
· Exercise at least 30 minutes four times a week
· Avoid cigarettes, alcohol and drugs four months prior to conception and during pregnancy
· Avoid exposure to toxins and radiation at work
· Avoid emptying cat litter boxes that can potentially transmit the parasite toxoplasmosis

Remember that not all problems are preventable, even with careful planning. However, your chances of a having a healthy baby are greater if both mother and father are healthy before the pregnancy begins.
 

5. Doing What Comes Naturally
You’ve had your pre-pregnancy exam and taken steps to be as healthy as possible. It’s time to relax and enjoy with your partner the experience of creating a baby together. Remember, many couples in their prime reproductive years may require between six and twelve months to conceive. A woman in her mid-thirties or older may take even longer. The more relaxed you are in approaching conception, the more likely the two of you will be successful in your goal. If your periods are regular, it is easier to determine the best time of month to try. Charting your temperature and other methods can help you determine whether you are ovulating (releasing an egg).

Your most fertile period is generally between 10 and 14 days from the time of your last menstrual cycle. After trying for two years or longer without becoming pregnant, you may want to consult a fertility specialist. Many new reproductive technologies are available to help you and your partner have the baby you desire.

 

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Entry Filed under: PREGNANCY & BIRTH,Pregnancy & Birth,WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE