To help you through the busy upcoming Christmas period, here are our top tips on how you can prepare your body for conception.
1. Take a prenatal vitamin
It is advisable to start taking a prenatal vitamin three months before trying to conceive. This is to make sure the woman’s folic acid, iron and vitamin D stores are topped up in order to prevent birth defects.
2. Immunisation
When planning pregnancy, ask your GP to run a blood test to check your immunity status to Rubella. Rubella infection during pregnancy can cause birth defects such as deafness, heart problems and intellectual disability. If you are not immune, arrange for an immunisation. You will then need to wait a month after your injection before trying to conceive.
3. Healthy eating and optimum body weight
It’s common to break your normal eating habits around Christmas, although try to remember it’s best to maintain a balanced diet. Foods rich in calcium, iron and folate, such as dairy foods, fruit and vegetables, cereals, wholegrain breads, beans and lentils are vital. Being underweight or overweight can reduce the woman’s odds of conceiving, as it makes regular ovulation less likely. Strive for a healthy body weight (BMI 20-25).
4. Exercise
During the festive season exercise may be the last thing on your to do list, but it is very beneficial to your overall health, as well as preparing your body for pregnancy. Create an exercise plan that you can follow into your pregnancy.
5. Reduce alcohol and give up smoking
If you are trying to get pregnant it’s best to reduce or avoid alcohol in order to prepare your body for pregnancy. Additionally, there is no better time to stop smoking then when you are trying to get pregnant. Smoking and even passive smoking may affect a woman’s chances of getting pregnant.
Credit image: onedollarphoto.com
Article from: www.fertilitypharmacy.com.au
