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Are
you ready for a baby?
Having
a healthy baby is a joy. Happily, there are ways to
prepare for pregnancy that can help assure your baby's
health.
Even
before you conceive, there are things you can learn
from your doctor and things you can do yourself that
will help you have a healthy baby. It's called
"preconception planning," and it's part of a
healthy approach to pregnancy.
By
working with your doctor before conception and
planning ahead for your pregnancy, you can take
control of many factors that might otherwise put your
pregnancy at risk and could lead to problems with your
baby's health.
Preconception
Planning
Preconception
planning should begin at least three months before you
stop birth control or begin trying to conceive, so
you'll have time to take control and make health
changes, if necessary. Even if this is not your first
pregnancy, it is important to plan ahead.
This
information discusses some of the areas where problems
can begin and what you can do to reduce the risk of
these problems. As you read through it, make notes
about areas that concern you, then use this
information as a basis for discussion with your
doctor. He or she will play an important role in
preconception planning and will always be your best
source for information and help before and during your
pregnancy.
Why
start planning before conception?
When
a woman misses her period, she may already be two
weeks pregnant. If she waits before calling her
doctor, she may not get medical advice on pregnancy
until eight to ten weeks after she has conceived. It
may be several weeks before a doctor can see her and
start advising her on how to provide a healthy start
for a new baby.
Studies
have shown that the first 12 weeks after conception
are critical for the fetus.
The
period of greatest sensitivity for the developing
fetus is between the 17th and 56th day (2 to 8 weeks)
after conception, when the fertilized egg attached
itself to the uterine wall and begins to grow. It is
during this period that the fetus' cells organize and
differentiate themselves, and vital organs begin to
form.
The
fetus is extremely vulnerable during this time -
a time when you may not even know you're pregnant.
That's why it's important to start planning before you
conceive, so that even during the first weeks of your
pregnancy you'll be giving your baby the best care.
How
to prepare for pregnancy before conception
Take
Control
Preconception planning gives you the opportunity
to prepare yourself mentally as well as physically for
the challenges and the joys that having a child will
bring. Of course, you can't anticipate everything that
may happen during pregnancy or after you give birth.
But by taking time to prepare yourself, you can take
control as much as possible and increase your chances
for a healthy pregnancy.
See
your doctor before you start trying to conceive.
Don't
wait - schedule a preconception planning session
with you about 3 to 6 months before you begin trying
to conceive.
To
help you start thinking about areas of importance,
contact us to receive a checklist of questions you can
ask yourself. It will help you and your doctor to
review all aspects of your lifestyle, eating habits,
medical history, and family background.
Your
partner should do this same, wither with your doctor
or with his own doctor. Than you both should discuss
with you doctor factors that may present risks to your
baby's health - and what you can do about them.
What
can put your pregnancy at risk...and what you can do
about it
Lifestyle
Choices
There
are a number of lifestyle behaviors that are harmful
to a fetus. These behaviors include smoking, drinking
alcohol, and using illicit drugs like cocaine,
marijuana, and heroin.
Alcohol
- Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most common
preventable cause of mental retardation in the United
States. It is not known exactly what quantity of
alcohol consumption results in FAS, or at what stage
of pregnancy that consumption is the most dangerous.
Th ebest choice is to avoid alcohol entirely; not only
while you are pregnant but also while you are trying
to become pregnant.
Smoking
- The adverse effects of cigarette smoking on
pregnancy outcomes have also been documented. They
include an increased incident of low birth weight,
miscarriage, stillbirth, increased vaginal bleeding
during pregnancy, and as increased chance of sudden
infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Smoking
should be avoided while you are trying to conceive.
Secondary smoke from the people around you may also
affect your health and the health of your baby. If you
or your partner would like to quit, preconception
planning gives you a perfect opportunity to ask your
doctor about safe, available methods.
Drugs
- Illegal "street" drugs also have known
effects on pregnancy. Cocaine and heroin use increases
your chance of a miscarriage or premature labor, as
well as the chance of stillbirth or death among
newborns. The use of illicit drugs in general is
associated with low birth weight, which can cause
mental and physical handicaps.
What
More Can You Do?
Exercise
- Regular exercise is a lifestyle choice that not only
will make you feel better but also will be a big help
as your pregnancy progresses. Building muscles in the
lower back, stomach, and legs will be especially
helpful in making yours a more comfortable and active
pregnancy.
Use
the time before you conceive to start an exercise
program that suits your lifestyle. If you already
exercise regularly, most exercise can be continued.
Talk to your doctor about how much of the exercise you
can be continued throughout your pregnancy.
If
you don't exercise already, walking and swimming are
excellent choices. You may also wish to learn about
prenatal exercise classes in your area. Ask your
doctor about the exercise programs they offer.
Nutritional
Status
How
well you eat during pregnancy determines how well your
baby is nourished as it develops. But an adequate diet
is just as important prior to conception. A mother's
pre-pregnancy weight has been shown to affect her
baby's birth weight. Therefore, it is important to eat
well before pregnancy, and try to attain a weight that
is appropriate for your height.
What
can you do?
Eat well before you conceive. It's best to start a
pregnancy as physically healthy as you can be. Go over
your diet with your doctor and determine any
nutritional deficiencies you may have. Be honest about
your eating habits and make as many healthy changes as
you can. If you are overweight or underweight, it's
best to change that before you start trying to
conceive. Special diets may not be appropriate for the
first few months of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor
about a plan that's right for you.
As
with many aspects of pregnancy, common sense is your
best guide to determining a healthy diet. Use the four
food groups as a basis for putting together a balances
meal plan.
You
should have something from each of the following food
groups every day:
- Milk
and dairy products
- Meat,
poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans
- Whole-grain
or enriched bread and cereal
- Fruits
and vegetables
Eating
sensibly can usually supply all the nutrients needed
for a healthy pregnancy. Your doctor, however, may
suggest vitamin or mineral supplements, it is
important not to take more vitamins than your doctor
directs, as large doses of some vitamins can be
dangerous. Megadoses of vitamins A and D, for example,
have been associated with abnormal fetal
development.
Chemical
and other toxic exposures
Some
mothers may not be aware of their exposure to harmful
chemicals and toxins that could affect their baby. You
should evaluate your workplace and home to determine
if you are being exposed to anything that may affect
your baby's health.
For
example, if you work regularly with chemicals or
around X-rays, you should take extra precautions to
avoid exposure before and during your pregnancy. If
you work with chemicals or lead in a hobby, like
gardening or ceramics, you could also expose your baby
to toxins during pregnancy.
If
you have a cat, you may also be at risk for something
known as toxoplasmosisa disease caused by parasites
that live in certain mammals. You can become infected
by coming in contact with cat feces, either in a
litter box or in the soil, as well as by eating some
raw meats. Have someone else change litter boxes for
you, or wear gloves. Infection during pregnancy may
cause premature birth or low birth weight.
What
can you do?
As part of your preconception planning, you can
clean up the prenatal environment. you may decide
which hobbies are safe to continue during pregnancy
and which ones should be avoided. you can also make a
note about house-hold items that should always be
handled with caution, like household pesticides.
You
and your doctor may also discuss hazards that are of
concern to you, like exposure to lead, chemicals, or
other toxins. Planning ahead gives you time to clean
up your daily environment and evaluate what you should
avoid. Remember: the earlier, the better.
Medical
Conditions
Some
women have medical conditions that will require
special attention and may increase the rise of
problems during pregnancy. You should review with your
doctor your full medical history in order to identify
possible sources of complications. These conditions
will be much easier to manage and will pose less of a
risk if they are brought well under control before
conception.
Studies
have shown, for instance, that when careful diabetic
control is started before conception and maintained
throughout pregnancy, risks to the baby are greatly
reduced. Babies born to diabetic women are at an
increased risk of being born with certain congenital
malformations. Again, the time of greatest risk is the
first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
If
you have a personal history of medical problems, such
as asthma, hypertension, heart or kidney disease, you
may also wish to discuss how they might affect your
pregnancy and how pregnancy might affect you.
Risks
can be lowered if you take special care of yourself
before becoming pregnant, and during your pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor before hand about how you can best
reduce the risks to your baby.
What
can you do?
Take a moment to review your medical history
yourself before you see your doctor. Be prepared to
ask questions and answer some. With the right
planning, your chance of having a healthy baby will be
greatly increased.
Medications
Preconception
planning can also help eliminate the risk of exposing
your fetus to potentially dangerous drugs you may be
taking to treat a condition.
For
example, if you are epileptic, see your doctor before
you begin trying to conceive, to discuss your
medications and how you can reduce the risks. Babies
exposed to anticonvulsant medications used to treat
epilepsy may be born with birth defects.
You
should also be cautious of any over the counter
medication you may take regularly. Acne medicine,
aspirin, headache medicine, nasal spray, and cough
medicine that may seem harmless to you could be
dangerous to your fetus.
What
can you do?
Talk
to your doctor before you conceive. He or she can help
you put together a list of medicines to avoid and
advise you on your medication safely.
Immunization
Status
Women
can also pass along to their babies certain diseases
during pregnancy. If a woman is infected, for example,
with rubella (German measles) during the first month
of pregnancy, there is a 50% chance her baby will be
infected as well. If this happens, her baby may
develop problems including cataracs (possible leading
to blindness), heart defects, and deafness - known
together as congenital rubella syndrome.
What
can you do?
You can eliminate the risk of passing along some
diseases by making sure you are immunized against them
before conception. These diseases include rubella,
measles, mumps, and hepatitis. Before you become
pregnant, discuss your immunization status with your
doctor.
It
is important to immunize early because some
immunizations shots cannot be taken once you are
pregnant. Others take time to administer. So plan
ahead. Talk to your doctor before you conceive so he
or she can schedule appropriate tests and help you map
out an immunization plan.
Sexually
Transmitted Diseases/AIDS
There
are a number of diseases transmitted through sexual
contact that can be harmful to your fetus. These
include syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, chlamydia,
condyloma, and infection with HIV, the virus that
causes AIDS.
All
of these diseases are prevalent in all population
groups, including women. HIV infection is transmitted
primarily through sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal,
and oral) and the sharing of intravenous (IV) needles
for drug injection. It can also be passed through a
blood transfusion or from an infected mother to her
fetus during pregnancy.
What
can you do?
If you have questions about sexually transmitted
diseases, HIV infection, or AIDS, talk to your doctor
before you conceive.
Let
your doctor know about any sexually transmitted
disease you have had in the past. If you suspect any
infection, the only way to be sure you are not
infected is to ask your doctor for counseling and
testing.
Reproductive
History
You
should also review with your doctor the outcomes of
past pregnancies, if you have had any. Do you have a
history of miscarriages, cesarean sections, or other
complications that might threaten you or a new baby?
Your doctor can advise you on precautions you should
take.
You
should also consider your age before conceiving. If
you are over 35 and are planning to conceive, you are
not alone. Today, more and more women are delaying
childbirth until later in life and having normal,
health pregnancies.
Statistically
speaking, however, the risk of problems begins to
increase after age 35, which is why preconception
planning can be particularly helpful. It gives you the
chance to review your personal health with your doctor
and make your decision accordingly.
What
can you do?
Talk to your doctor before you conceive. He or she
can best advise you on your personal health and
history.
Genetic
Factors
Finally,
you should consider genetic disorders that you or your
partner may be carrying. You are at risk for disorders
of this type if they have appeared anywhere in your
family's medical history.
In
some cases, these disorders are related to specific
ethnic groups. Tay-Sachs disease, for instance, is
found predominantly among the Jewish population of
Eastern European decent and sickle-cell disease among
African-Americans. It is important that both you and
your partner review your family histories of birth
defects or mental retardation.
What
can you do?
If you are among a population group at risk, or
have a family history of birth defects or mental
retardation, talk to your doctor before conception
about screening procedures for you and your partner.
If
either of you is diagnosed with a genetic disorder,
you can discuss with your doctor the chances of you
having a healthy baby before deciding whether to
conceive. You can also learn about various methods of
testing for genetic problems during your pregnancy.
These include:
- Amniocentesis
- a procedure in which a small amount of fluid is
taken from the sac around the fetus and tested.
- Alpha-fetoprotein
testing (AFP) - a test using a protein
produced by the fetus that can be found in
amniotic fluid and in the mother's blood.
- Chronic
villi sampling (CVS) - a test involving the
small sprouts that develop on the wall of a
fertilized egg and become the placenta.
- Ultrasonography
- a test using sound waves to produce an image of
the fetus in the mother's uterus.
These
methods can be used to assure you of your baby's
health or prepare you for problems. Ask your doctor to
explain how each works.
The
man who's facing fatherhood
Your
baby's father also directly to the baby's health and
can help avoid problems by taking part in your
preconception planning.
He,
too, should review his lifestyle, medical history, and
family history, and learn about how his health might
affect the outcome of a pregnancy. Genetic factors
should be considered, as well as his susceptibility to
diseases that might be passed on to you or the fetus.
In fact, he needs to learn everything you learn during
preconception planning, so he can be supportive once
you start trying to conceive.
If
he smokes, he should know that smoking may decrease
his sperm count and make conception more difficult. he
should be aware of the dangers of secondary smoke to
you and the fetus. He should also realize that if he
smokes during your pregnancy, he could be making it
hard for you to quit.
Through
preconception planning, he can become an even better
partner for you before and during your pregnancy, so
you can share the challenges and the joys of becoming
a mother and father together.
Finding
out you're pregnant
Becoming
pregnant is likely to take some time. On average, only
about half the couple who are trying to conceive will
do so within 6 months. So, have patience. If you think
it is taking too long, there are a number of fertility
tests that can be performed on you or your partner,
and most problems can be overcome.
While
you are trying to conceive, your doctor is your best
source for information and guidance. However, it's up
to you to maintain control and stick to the plans you
made with your doctor during preconception planning.
The
earlier you know, the better
Once
you suspect you may be pregnant, the earlier you find
out, the better. Knowing you're pregnant means you can
take extra care during those important first 12 weeks,
when the baby's cells are being organized and a new
human life is being formed inside you.
There
are several ways for you to detect possible pregnancy
early, but only your doctor can diagnose pregnancy for
sure. He or she will most likely want you to come in
for a test as soon after you suspect pregnancy as
possible.
The
earliest way to find out yourself is with a home
pregnancy test that can be used the day you miss your
period. A positive test at that time means the fetus
is about two weeks old form the time of conception. If
you haven't started planning for a healthy pregnancy,
now's a good time. See your doctor right away so he or
she can begin working with you.
If
you choose to use a home pregnancy kit, it is
important that you use a test both you and your doctor
trust. Not all tests are foolproof, so you should talk
with your doctor about a test that's right for you.
Long
waiting time (2 to 5 minutes) between test steps
causes more errors in the reading of home pregnancy
tests than any other factor. You should look for a
test that requires little or no waiting time before
results appear.
The
test you choose should also produce unmistakably clear
results that you understand. A major source of error
is the "half-clear" result, when you're not
sure if a reaction has taken place at all.
Read
the labels, or ask your doctor or pharmacist to
suggest a test that meets all these criteria. Tests
are now available that use the same technology found
in doctors' offices and laboratories - and
confidence in your results at home means you can begin
caring for your baby as soon as possible.
From
preconception to birth, your doctor will always be
there
Once
you get a positive result at home, set up an
appointment with your doctor right away. With
preconception planning, you'll both be prepared for
the news.
Then
your doctor, along with other health care
professionals, can continue to counsel you through the
rest of your pregnancy, from preconception to birth,
helping you deliver your baby as healthy as can be.
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