When you take steps to strengthen your health ahead of a planned pregnancy, you and your future child stand to gain many important benefits. Guided by our seasoned team, your preconception action plan can help you:
At New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, we offer comprehensive obstetric care services encompassing everything from preconception health planning and prenatal care to labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
Here, Dr. Christina Parmar and Dr. Rania Ibrahim offer seven tips on improving your preconception wellness and getting your body ready for a healthy pregnancy.
Even if you’re relatively healthy and ready to carry a baby, having a well-woman exam before you conceive should be a priority. Why? This comprehensive checkup is a vital first step toward optimal preconception health. After reviewing your health history and medication use, our team:
We also discuss any previous pregnancies or miscarriages and ask detailed questions about various lifestyle habits that are relevant to preconception health, offering adjustment advice and support as needed.
Unhealthy habits like smoking, vaping, drinking alcohol, consuming cannabis, or using illicit drugs don’t just make it harder to get pregnant; they can also affect your baby’s health and well-being if you continue to partake — even at levels that aren’t “excessive” — once you’re pregnant. These habits are associated with:
The bottom line? No amount of nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, or any other drug is safe during pregnancy. Kick unhealthy habits like these ASAP — ask our team for help if needed.
Certain chronic reproductive conditions, including endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can make it harder to get pregnant when they’re not being managed properly.
Likewise, various chronic health conditions — ranging from hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes to asthma, depression, and epilepsy — can increase the risk of complications during pregnancy when they’re not well-controlled.
Ideally, it would help if you aim to have any chronic conditions fully under control for at least three months before you’d like to start trying to conceive. With the right care and precautions, most managed conditions are compatible with a healthy pregnancy — and our team can provide expert guidance.
Begin taking a daily prenatal vitamin that provides 400-800 micrograms (mg) of folic acid at least three months before you start trying to conceive. Having sufficient folic acid in your system when you become pregnant helps prevent serious birth defects in your baby’s brain and spinal cord during the first trimester of pregnancy.
A daily prenatal vitamin throughout pregnancy helps ensure that the body gets enough micronutrients to meet its increased needs and sustain fetal growth.
It can be harder to conceive if you’re significantly underweight or overweight. Being at or near a healthy weight also supports a healthier pregnancy and a healthier start for your baby: Women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of pregnancy and delivery complications, while low-weight women are more likely to deliver underweight babies.
If you don’t exercise regularly, now’s the time to get active. When exercise is a daily habit before you conceive, your body is fitter, stronger, and more prepared to handle the many changes it will undergo once you get pregnant.
Pregnancy is sometimes referred to as “nature’s stress test,” getting 30-60 minutes of moderate activity most days supports optimal preconception wellness and good prenatal health once you become pregnant. It also increases your stamina, so your body is ready for the physical challenges of labor and delivery.
If processed foods, added sugars, and high-fat, sodium-rich meals are daily staples, it’s time to clean up your diet. Cultivating healthier eating patterns before conception supports improved wellness, from mood, energy, and weight to digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive function.
Once pregnant, a balanced diet centered on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats supports optimal prenatal health, nourishes your growing fetus, and makes weight gain easier to manage. After you deliver, healthy eating makes postpartum weight easier to lose and provides a solid nutritional foundation if you plan to breastfeed.
Are you ready to take control of your preconception health? We can help. Call or click online to schedule an appointment today at New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas.