What to Do When Preparing to Get Pregnant: What You Should Know

Are you planning on having a baby soon? That’s a major decision. It’s important that you do thorough research about preparing to get pregnant before you proceed with your plans. This article will go through some important tips and considerations for women and would-be parents to ensure a safe, healthy, and happy pregnancy journey. Here’s what to do when preparing to get pregnant.

What to Do When Preparing to Get Pregnant

Here are some of the most important steps that you should not miss and what to do when preparing to get pregnant:

Consult Your Doctor

When it comes to what to do when preparing to get pregnant, this is the most important step for you to take. You need to go and see your gynecologist and consult her regarding your plans for getting pregnant. This is true even if you feel healthy and you don’t have any underlying medical condition. 

It’s important that you and your doctor should discuss your partner’s and your health history, including family health history. Some health issues in your family can be passed down to your children. You should be aware of those conditions and they should be a factor in your decision-making.

It’s also important to tell your doctor about any medication that you are taking. Medications can have an effect on your unborn child. Your doctor may have to change the medications before you get pregnant.

Finally, if you have long-term health conditions such as asthma, hypertension, or diabetes, those should be stable first before you become pregnant.

Stop Certain Practices

Before you try becoming pregnant, it is important that you stop certain harmful habits and practices. If you are a smoker, then you should quit immediately before trying to get pregnant. The same thing is true if you drink alcohol or if you abuse drugs.

You need to stop smoking, taking drugs, or drinking alcohol because they can: 

• Make it harder for you to conceive
• Cause miscarriage
• Affect the unborn child

The children of mothers who smoke during pregnancy are likely to have a lower birth weight. Mothers can also suffer since smoking will make it more difficult for them to recover from pregnancy.

You can also ask for assistance from your doctor to make quitting these habits easier for you. 

While it is not necessary to stop consuming drinks with caffeine altogether, you may have to reduce your consumption. Women who drink more than 2 cups of coffee can have a more difficult time getting pregnant. They also have a higher chance of miscarriage.

A More Balanced Diet

Having a healthy body weight is crucial for pregnant women. To achieve healthy body weight, you must eat a balanced diet throughout your pregnancy.  Here are a few simple tips that you can follow to fix your diet:

• Stay away from empty calories 
• Avoid foods and drinks with artificial sweeteners
• Choose foods that are rich in protein
• Eat plenty of fruits as well as vegetables
• Include dairy products and grains as well into your diet
• Make sure to include fish in your diet but stay away from those that may contain mercury

You should make an effort to reach your ideal weight during your pregnancy. Being overweight can increase the likelihood that you will develop hypertension, diabetes, and even having a miscarriage.

On the other hand, you should attempt to lose weight while you are pregnant. You should try to shed some extra pounds before you conceive.

Start Taking Vitamins and Folic Acid

When it comes to what to do when preparing to get pregnant, taking the necessary vitamins are important. With the guidance of your doctor, you should start taking a vitamin supplement and make sure that you pick one, which contains folic acid. It’s important that you take folic acid during pregnancy because it reduces the chance of your baby developing a birth defect.

Exercise

When talking about what to do when preparing to get pregnant, exercise is a vital step.

As part of maintaining a healthy weight, it’s important that you regularly exercise as well before you get pregnant. The workout can help you to deal with the changes that your body will have to undergo during pregnancy.

If you are already exercising before you become pregnant then you can continue the same routine. If you are not currently exercising then you should consult your doctor first.

Common Fertility Problems

Another major reason why you should consult your doctor before you try getting pregnant is that you or your partner might have some kind of fertility problem. Infertility is relatively common. In fact, around 1 out of 7 couples have some form of fertility problem. 

More than 80% of couples should be able to conceive within a year if they have unprotected sex regularly, or every two to three days. 

For some women, getting pregnant is quite easy. But for some, it may be more difficult. It is not just women who might have fertility problems because men might have some medical issues as well. The resultant problem of infertility is the inability to get pregnant. This can be accompanied by an abnormal menstrual cycle including long intervals, irregular menstruation, or short duration. Common causes of infertility include:

• Lack of ovulation usually associated with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Low-quality semen 
• Damaged fallopian tubes or previous pelvic operation
• Endometriosis/Adenomyosis
• Hormonal problems (abnormal thyroid hormone levels, diabetes mellitus)

Endometriosis and adenomyosis usually present with painful menstruation. The rest however may be a bit difficult to catch without laboratory workup. You need to consult your doctor so it can be checked if you have fertility issues even before you try. After 6 months of trying to get pregnant and you are not getting results, you should also see your doctor.

Key Takeaways

Preparing to get pregnant is a major step that you need to take seriously. When it comes to what to do when you get pregnant, not only should you prioritize your own health but that of your baby as well. Take all the necessary precautions to ensure you will both be healthy and safe.

Learn more about Getting Pregnant here.