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Before You Get Pregnant
It's exciting to plan to have a baby. To improve your chance of having a problem-free
pregnancy and a healthy baby, be sure you are ready ahead of time. It helps if the mother
and father are both healthy before the pregnancy begins. You want to lower your chances of
having a problem pregnancy.
Not all problems are preventable, but you can increase your chances of having a
healthy baby by identifying risks you or your partner might have and changing those risks,
if possible.
Preconceptual counseling, or health information you get before you become pregnant,
is an important part of prenatal care. You can talk about your pregnancy plans with your
doctor as part of general preventive care or during office visits for other medical
conditions.
The fetus is most open to harm from 17 to 56 days after conception. Changing your risks
before you become pregnant can ensure that your baby is safe during this important time.
Risks Due to Age, Family and Ethnic Origin
Women under age 15 or over age 40 have higher risks when they become pregnant. Your
doctor can talk with you about your risks for genetic problems and the benefits of genetic
testing. Some ethnic groups may have special risks. Genetic screening for sickle cell
disease may be important in people of black and southeast Asian descent, for Tay-Sachs
disease in people of Jewish descent and for blood disorders called thalassemias in people
of Mediterranean or Asian descent.
If you, your baby's father or a close relative has a genetic disorder like muscular
dystrophy, Down syndrome or open spine (also called spina bifida), talk to your doctor
about genetic counseling before you get pregnant, so you will know the risks you face.
Diet, Exercise and Sleep
Being at an ideal weight when you get pregnant can improve your chance of having a
healthy baby. Both very thin women who do not gain weight during pregnancy and very heavy
women may have more problems. Pregnancy is not the time to try to lose weight. It's best
to have good eating habits and be at the right weight before becoming pregnant.
Multivitamins containing folic acid may decrease the chance of your baby being born with
spina bifida or anencephaly (without a brain), if the vitamin is taken before you become
pregnant and during the first six weeks of pregnancy. Ask your doctor to prescribe this
vitamin for you.
Healthy sleep habits and exercise are important to your general health. Exercise can
continue during pregnancy if you are used to it and if your body temperature doesn't get
too high. Fevers and high body temperatures should be avoided in the first 14 weeks of
pregnancy, because they can lead to an increased chance of birth defects. You should avoid
getting overheated through vigorous exercise or the use of hot tubs.
Medical Diseases
All chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, seizures, heart problems,
thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis and kidney disease should be discussed with your
doctor. With good planning, many of the risks to your baby (and you) can be greatly
reduced. Ask your doctor about all of the drugs you take and their safety during
pregnancy-should you switch medicines or stop taking them? How long should you stop taking
them before you become pregnant?
Discuss sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) with your doctor. If you have an STD, it's
good to treat it before you are pregnant. To have a healthy baby, it's best to learn how
to avoid STDs. Women with HIV infection (human immunodeficiency virus infection, or AIDS)
are advised not to become pregnant because they can pass the AIDS virus on to their
babies. AIDS testing is available to all pregnant women, women in high-risk groups or
women who plan to get pregnant.
Many infectious diseases can affect your baby. It is helpful to get a German measles
(rubella) test before becoming pregnant. If you get rubella during your pregnancy, your
baby might have birth defects. You can protect yourself by having a rubella vaccination at
least three months before you become pregnant. In general, pregnant women, especially in
the early months of pregnancy, should stay away from children who are sick with rashes and
fevers.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection that also causes birth defects. You can avoid exposure to
toxoplasmosis by having someone else clean the cat's litter box, by avoiding contact with
kittens or garden soil, and by not eating raw or undercooked meat.
Workplace and Home Exposures
Ask your boss about exposures at your workplace to chemicals or inhaled substances.
Your workplace is required to keep on hand written information on all chemicals used at
that location, and this information can be given to your doctor. Don't forget that some
hobbies carry a risk to your unborn baby-for example, the lead used in making stained
glass. You might have your house tested for lead in water pipes and paint to guard your
health and the health of your growing child.
Smoking, Drug and Alcohol Use
Smoking, illicit drug use and alcohol use are never safe during pregnancy. Treatment
programs to help you stop using these substances before pregnancy are important. These
substances increase your risk of having a miscarriage, a baby with birth defects or a
premature baby.
Children whose parents smoke have a greater chance of dying from sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS), and they also have more colds and ear infections while they are growing
up. If you use alcohol and drugs during pregnancy, it can affect your child's ability to
learn and can even result in mental retardation.
Social Concerns
Your doctor can give you information about social programs like WlC (Aid to Women,
Infants and Children) and ADC (Aid to Dependent Children). You and your partner should
talk about your readiness for parenting, to see if you have problem areas that could be
improved before you get pregnant. Domestic violence often increases during pregnancy, and
this abuse should always be recognized. Many communities offer parenting classes.
Summary
Fortunately, most women have healthy babies. By seeing your doctor often during your
pregnancy, and by discussing and changing risks before you get pregnant and during the
early months of pregnancy, you can increase your chances of having a healthy baby.
Prepregnancy check-ups are now routine with many doctors. For your own health and your
baby's, take advantage of this important education opportunity.
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