Bringing a new life into the world is an exciting but overwhelming experience. However, you can ensure a smooth and healthy pregnancy by carefully planning and following expert advice. Here are the top 7 things to add to your pre-pregnancy checklist to prepare yourself for the journey ahead.
- Start Taking Prenatal Supplements
Experts recommend women take specific vitamins and minerals, especially folate, for three months before they start trying to get pregnant. Folate helps protect a baby's brain and spinal cord, preventing neural tube defects. Prenatal vitamins also contain other critical components for you and your baby, including iron, DHA, Vitamin A, B6, B12 and D.
- Schedule a Preconception Checkup
Ensuring that your health is in good condition is always one of the best things to do in pregnancy. Your gynaecologist will analyse your personal and family medical history along with your medication or supplements. They will suggest that you stop or switch to a different medication if it can affect your chance of pregnancy.
- Get Your Gums Checked
Dental health holds a major contribution to your overall health. Nevertheless, if you get pregnant, you will be at higher risk of developing gum diseases due to the high progesterone and oestrogen level. Hence, add ‘visit the dentist’ to your pre-pregnancy checklist to get a professional cleaning and checkup.
It is because dental cleaning and pain medication during pregnancy might be riskier and restricted. In addition, keeping up good oral hygiene habits will make you less prone to potential problems.
- Adapt a Well-Balanced Diet
Even before you get pregnant, it is important to follow a proper and nutritious diet as recommended by doctors. For instance, you have to be selective when it comes to fish consumption. It is well-known that mercury can result in congenital disabilities, and women tend to consume it through fish.
Therefore, avoid certain seafood species like king mackerel and swordfish pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy. However, don’t avoid fish altogether, as they have to be eaten at recommended levels to acquire healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
- Get Control Over Caffeine Intake
Excess caffeine consumption might lead to reduced chances of fertility. Therefore experts recommend women reduce their caffeine intake if they are planning to get pregnant. You should try to decrease the consumption to one cup or 200 ml of caffeine daily.
- Steer Clear From Toxins
Similarly, you should also eliminate toxins before getting pregnant. Smoking, drugs and alcohol are toxins that harm your baby. Also, pesticides and other chemicals and unpasteurized dairy products could be dangerous. Therefore do your research and consult with your healthcare professional to clear any concerns.
- Decide on Stem Cell Preservation
Cord blood banking is a personal decision for you and your family. Therefore, instead of putting it off until delivery, make the critical decision on pre-pregnancy or early on the journey, as some planning needs to be done. Cord blood contains hematopoietic stem cells to treat various illnesses, including anaemia, lymphoma, immune system disorders and more.
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