Things to know before Getting Pregnant

If you are planning on getting pregnant, the best way is to keep yourself as much informed about it as possible. It is sad to find so many women doing the wrong things just because of lack of correct information.

There are some things which are commonly accepted as true but are actually incorrect.

Stress can affect your Ability to Get Pregnant

Stress produces hormone prolactin beyond its normal level. It causes a disruption in the normal luteal cycle of the body which prevents your body from releasing eggs. It also disturbs your uterus lining from being properly attached when the eggs try to reach the sperm.

You Need an Optimum Weight for Getting Pregnant

Neither being too skinny nor overweight is conducive for conceiving. If the body does not get the nutrients it needs to allow the energy needed during pregnancy, it focuses on keeping the vital organs running. On the other hand, when a woman is overweight, the body uses energy to manage the damage done to organs by pregnany. That is why keeping your body weight around the optimum mark is essential for conceiving. Since all your organs are working just fine, your body would be ready to face the demands of pregnancy.

Smoking, Alcohol, Addictive Drugs and Caffeine are not good for Conceiving and Baby Health

Smoking causes miscarriage, vaginal bleeding, premature delivery and low birth weight. It has also been linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Infants die all of a sudden without any recognisable cause. Physical growth and IQ scores of children born to smokers are also expected to be low.

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy causes the foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) which is the cause of several birth defects, mental problems, retarded growth, facial defects and deficient formation of the head. There is no data available which could pinpoint the amount of alcohol that could cause FAS. That is why you should avoid it altogether.

Abusing addictive illegal drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and others make you prone to miscarriage, premature births and birth defects in the child. They may be born addicted to the drug and the mother abusing it will have to contend with withdrawal.

Folic Acid helps Conception and Maintaining Baby Health

Start eating as much green leafy vegetables as possible to get the right amount of folic acid during pregnancy. Iron and vitamin K is also present in greens. These nutrients first help in preparing the uterus for bearing the child and after conception, aid in foetal development by carrying the nutrients to it.

Read more articles on Conceiving.