The planning for pregnancy is often one of the most anxious and stressful periods of a woman’s life. The fear of being pregnant, the guilt of being unable to have a baby, the anxiety of being unable to conceive, and the unknown of what might happen – all these add to the overall stress that a woman can experience. But pregnancy can be as difficult as it can be joyful and rewarding. You must prepare yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically. And this post will help you a lot. We will guide you through the preparation process and help you enjoy your pregnancy to the fullest. Sticking to the below recommendations reduces the risk
of infant death, premature birth, and some other unpleasant consequences.
5 Important Stages of Preparation for Pregnancy
When planning children, it is a good idea for both parents to get rid of bad habits in advance, do not drink alcohol, reduce caffeine intake, and pay more attention to good nutrition and medical conditions, especially during pregnancy. As motherhoodtips.com advises, pregnant women should stay physically active and avoid high blood pressure as this can put a mother and a baby at risk. But if you have not trained intensively before, it is better not to overdo it. In their pre pregnancy, women should pay attention to their body weight. The thing is that it is often difficult for women who are too thin to get pregnant, because ovulation may not occur during the cycle. At the same time, there is no negative impact on the birth weight. The recommended body mass index is 20-25. So we recommend that you stick to it.
Women are advised to start taking folic acid vitamins before conception. It is important to consume 400 microgram of folic acid daily. Start taking it three months before pregnancy and do this until 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid is very important for the development of the baby to take place correctly, and the need for its intake exists throughout pregnancy. If the mother’s body during the bearing of the child receives a sufficient amount of this substance, then the risk of pathology from the nervous system is minimized.
Before trying to conceive a child, it is recommended to talk to your doctor about stopping contraception. Different methods of contraception require different transition periods when it is possible to conceive a child again. It is also very important for couples planning pregnancy to take care of themselves. We recommend that you avoid trying to get pregnant with acute diseases. In the case of chronic diseases, it is best to get health care and try to get pregnant during remission. Before pregnancy, women are advised to visit doctors; it is useful to consult a gynecologist, visit a dentist, and check their health. These are no less important than responsible prenatal care.
How to Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy?
It is important for a future mother to understand that only a healthy woman can bear and give birth to a healthy baby. In this regard, you need to start taking care of your own health conditions long before conception in order to prevent birth defects. The good physical shape, the absence of diseases, proper nutrition, the rejection of bad habits, hygiene, and a measured lifestyle – all this has a beneficial effect on the female body and subsequently makes it easier to endure healthy pregnancy. That’s why we strongly recommend that you do the following examinations for birth control:
- Examination by a gynecologist – colposcopy, check for the neural tube defect;
- Blood type, Rh factor (for both spouses) – An analysis for group antibodies, as well as an analysis for antibodies to the Rh factor, is carried out once a month, starting from 8 weeks of pregnancy;
- Tests for infections: a regular smear, PCR for latent infections (for both spouses);
- Blood test for TORCH-complex, antibodies to rubella, toxoplasma, herpes, CMV, and chlamydia – The presence of IgG antibodies means immunity to these infections and is not an obstacle to pregnancy. The presence of IgM means an acute stage; planning, in this case, must be postponed until recovery. If there are no IgG antibodies to rubella, it is necessary to be vaccinated and protected for another 3 months after it;
- Ultrasound of the pelvic organs – it should be done at least 2 times per cycle: after menstruation and before menstruation. For the first time, the general condition of the pelvic organs is assessed. As per the second visit, the presence of a corpus luteum and endometrial transformation indicates that ovulation has occurred. Ideally, a third intermediate ultrasound on the eve of the expected ovulation is to detect the dominant follicle;
- Blood test for hormones of the reproductive system, thyroid gland, adrenal glands;
- Ultrasound of the thyroid gland and mammary glands;
- Hemostasiogram and coagulation tests;
- General clinical blood test (hemoglobin, erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, ESR, color index, leukocyte formula);
- Blood tests for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, and C (for both spouses).
As you can see, the process of getting ready for pregnancy is quite complex and includes several stages. It is worth starting planning a few months (at least three) before the time when the couple intends to conceive a baby.