Before planning to conceive make sure you are at your healthy best. A healthy lifestyle will result in a successful pregnancy. A woman has to be physically prepared for the pregnancy as she has to endure the rigours of pregnancy. Consulting a doctor before conceiving will help in preventing complications. There are many other factors responsible for a healthy and successful conception. Read on the health tips before planning to conceive.When you are planning your
conception you need to take note of a number of factors. The first thing that you should focus on is a successful conception, and then shifts your focus on the all important prenatal care. Given below are a few aspects that you should make a point to follow.
Ensure that You Begin to Take Folic Acid
This is a very vital supplement when you are planning to conceive and also when you are pregnant. It can easily prevent the problematic neural tube defects. You need to seek the advice of your healthcare provider on what should be your ideal dosage. Basically the dosage is a lot dependent on your family history as it becomes a cause of worry if any of your blood relatives has had this disease. Even if your family is free from it is always safe and advisable to take a folic acid supplement along with your usual kit of prenatal vitamins and multivitamins.
Visit Your Doctor Before You Actually Conceive
This is important as you need to note the condition of your body and whether it is at all prepared to bear the rigours of pregnancy. This can alone be judged by a doctor and before proceeding with your plan to conceive, it is a must that you consult on your and your partners current health status. Every woman desires a normal pregnancy and the doctor’s advice will you achieve just that through proper guidelines and the required medications. Doctors suggest depending upon a lot of factors like:
- If you have had pregnancy complications earlier
- Whether there is a history of genetic diseases in your family
- Whether you are having irregular periods or menstruation cycles are not normal
- Whether your body is already giving warning signals of infertility
- Whether you are maintaining a healthy weight; as being overweight is as risky as being underweight
Get Over All Unhealthy and Risky Behavior
Caffeine, alcohol and smoking all have very detrimental effects on the mother as well as the unborn baby. There have been several documented studies on how the above mentioned habits can risk a pregnancy. Smoking even in passive form can cause miscarriage. So the moment you plan to conceive it is advisable to quit this habit. The toxins present in the cigarettes travel through your placenta and mixes with the baby’s blood and result in the calcification of the placenta. Similarly alcohol and other illegal drugs also have serious harmful effects on the pregnancy and can even hinder your conception. Remember to seek the advice of your doctor before taking any drug.
Be Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight
While planning your conception, always note that you should be healthy and physically fit as pregnancy is a huge challenge for any woman. You should undertake a regular and disciplined approach towards maintaining an active lifestyle. This should be a non-strenuous exercise that will help you stay fit. Further, it will also help you by reducing the pregnancy aches and facilitate labour and delivery in the final stage of pregnancy.
Maintaining a proper body weight is also important. Remember, obesity can cause gestational diabetes and you will be likely to have a C-section delivery. Simultaneously pregnancy can also be a burden as the child is likely to be heavy too. A balanced diet and an active lifestyle should be your way to deal with it.
Check Your Immunization
This is extremely important when you are planning to conceive. Seek the advice of your physician and provide him with all relevant details in this regard. He will suggest methods that will protect both the mother and child.
