Pregnancy planning: take care of yourself before you become a mom

Before pregnancy, it is worth taking special care of yourself. A few months before conception, do the necessary examinations, change your diet and lifestyle to a he althier one. Only a well-nourished, physically fit and mentally he althy future mother will provide her child with the best conditions for development.

Talk to your gynecologist about the plannedpregnancy . Do this at least six months before "zero hour", that is, before conception. Your doctor will tell you what to do next. Perhaps he will suggest a radical change in your lifestyle. Listen carefully to his advice. For over a year, he will be your best friend. you feel that you are perfectly he althy, follow the recommendations of a specialist and check if your body is really prepared for pregnancy.

Pregnancy planning: tests, vaccinations, diet, exercise

• Perform laboratory tests:morphology(with the determination of the blood group and Rh factor), blood chemistry (glucose, protein, creatinine, urea, calcium, cholesterol, triglycerides levels), urinalysis and liver function tests. Check your thyroid hormone levels. Their deficiency may cause infertility or miscarriage.
• If you haven't done this in the last two years, x-ray your chest.
• Perform an ultrasound examination of the abdominal and pelvic organs (ovaries, uterus).
• Give yourself upcytologyof the cervix.
• If you suspect that you may have had any contact with HIV (e.g. blood transfusions, sexual contact), please do a HIV test.
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis B (three doses of vaccine are needed for immunity; the second is taken one month after the first and the third one 5 months after the second).
• If you have not had rubella and have not been vaccinated before, be vaccinated at least 4 months before the planned pregnancy.
• Take folic acid. Studies have shown that taking 0.4 mg of folic acid daily for 3-4 months before pregnancy reduces the risk of serious defects in the fetal nervous system. Include foods rich in this vitamin in your diet.
• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits to keep you getting enough vitamins and minerals. You also needwill be calcium (necessary for the formation of bone tissue), of which there is a lot, among others in milk and its products, fish, nuts, soybeans and beans, and protein (building blocks of cells and tissues of the body); you can find them, among others in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts. However, limit your sugar consumption.
• If your doctor tells you to do so, take additional vitamin and mineral supplements with a higher content of B vitamins and iron.
• Take care of your condition: outdoor walks, jogging, swimming, aerobics, cycling, morning gymnastics will strengthen your muscles, which will be useful during pregnancy (you will experience less back pain), childbirth (it can run more efficiently) and when you are a mom.

Planning a pregnancy: just before conception

• Minimize the use of generally available medications, and consult your doctor about the doses of medications you take regularly.
• Have a gynecological examination. If it turns out that you suffer, for example, from mycosis or you have an erosion, heal yourself in advance.
• Perform tests (blood tests) to rule out syphilis, cold sores, chlamydia.
• Start checking your blood pressure.
• Heal your teeth.
• Quit smoking and make your partner do it. Nicotine has a negative effect on fertility (in men it reduces sperm mobility and may cause erectile dysfunction).
• Give up or limit your drinking of alcohol and coffee.

already pregnant

• Visit your gynecologist at least once a month to check that everything is okay. Weekly checkups may be necessary after the 36th week of pregnancy.
• Have a complete urine morphology and general urine test every month.
• Test your blood glucose level (if your blood sugar is normal, do the next test between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy).
• Have an ultrasound - usually it is done 3 times: the first time around week 12, then around week 20 and the last time on week 32-34. week.
• Be careful with medications, always consult your gynecologist before taking any medication.

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