Deciding you’re ready to have a child is an exciting time. Once you’ve made the choice, though, proceeding may not be as simple as planning a few romantic nights with your partner.
If you want to give your body the best chance of getting pregnant, and give your future child the best possible start in your womb, there are a few additional steps you can take in preparation.
Drugs, alcohol and medications – The fact that drinking and using illegal drugs should be avoided by pregnant women is kind of a no-brainer, but many of these substances can actually lower your fertility, making it more difficult to get pregnant in the first place.
Some prescription medications may also be counter-indicated for pregnant women or those trying to conceive. Before you try to get pregnant, discuss any current medications with your gynecologist.
Vaccinations – Certain illnesses may be no big deal for a healthy adult woman, but can be devastating to an unborn child. Your doctor can perform blood tests to verify that you have the antibodies for these illnesses and recommend the proper vaccinations if necessary.
Prenatal vitamins – You may think prenatal vitamins are only for women who are already pregnant, but the compounds in these pills can prepare your body for pregnancy and boost your fertility, as well. If you’ve made the decision to start trying to conceive, your doctor can prescribe a prenatal vitamin regimen.
Controlling your weight – Studies have consistently shown that being significantly over- or under-weight can impact a woman’s fertility. Overweight women often take twice as long to get pregnant, while for underweight women it can take up to four times as long. An accurate body mass index analysis can help you determine where you fall on this scale, and your doctor can make recommendations to assist you in adjusting your diet or activity level accordingly.
Cut the caffeine – If you only have one or two servings of caffeine daily, you are probably in the clear. If you are constantly dosing yourself with coffee and soda to make it through the day, though, you could be seriously impacting your ability to get pregnant. Go ahead and get used to that reduced intake now, because once you do conceive, caffeine could be harmful to your unborn child.
Most of the methods listed here takes very little effort and incur very little cost, but can significantly increase your chances of becoming pregnant and having a successful pregnancy. If you are planning to conceive, contact us today so that we can get you started with vitamins and vaccinations, and help you on the road toward a happy, healthy pregnancy.
