General Pregnancy Health

Even before you are pregnant, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the various aspects of pregnancy health. By beginning to practice good pregnancy health before you conceive, you will be able to ensure a healthy start to your pregnancy. If you are already pregnant, now is the time to kick-start that healthy lifestyle! Here are some of the basics about pregnancy health which will help you and your baby to stay healthy and happy!

Why is Pregnancy Health Important?
While good health is always important, it is absolutely essential when you are expecting. When you are pregnant you are not only caring for yourself, but also for your developing child - after all, he is counting on you for all of his developmental and nutritional needs! This means that pregnancy and health need to go hand-in-hand. By maintaining good pregnancy health you are ensuring that your baby will receive the best chance to start off life healthy and strong.

Keeping yourself in good health is also very important for you during this time. While you may have been able to get away with a less healthy lifestyle in the past, you will need to maintain good prenatal health now to keep your energy up and your mood positive.

Where To Start?
If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, you may have no idea where to start when it comes to pregnancy health. There are so many different facets of a healthy lifestyle, and sometimes it can be quite confusing and even frustrating. It is probably a good idea to get some guidance on the subject from your health care provider. She can provide you with tips on how to prepare your body for pregnancy. Your health care provider can give you specific information on:

• healthy eating
• exercise during pregnancy
• prenatal health checkups
• possible risks and things to avoid

Prenatal Vitamins
Many women begin their pregnancies by taking prenatal vitamins in order to ensure good health and proper nutrition. In fact, it is actually recommended that women begin taking prenatal vitamins 2 to 3 months before they try to conceive. Prenatal vitamins are an important part of a healthy pregnancy lifestyle and can prepare you and your baby for the months to come.

Prenatal vitamins contain essential vitamins and minerals that will help supply you and your baby with great nutrition. Most prenatal vitamins contain folic acid, which is very important during the first trimester of pregnancy. Folic acid will help to reduce the risk of neural tube defects during pregnancy. Your health care provider can recommend a prenatal supplement or you can ask your local pharmacist for help.

Prenatal Checkups
Prenatal checkups are also an important part of maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Regular prenatal healthcare will allow your health care provider to monitor your pregnancy and identify any possible problems before they become serious. In fact, women who get regular pregnancy health care are shown to give birth to healthier babies. During your checkups, your health care provider will take your weight, check your blood pressure, and monitor your baby's heart rate. Certain tests may also be performed in order to check on your overall health. Expect to have between 10 and 15 prenatal appointments throughout your pregnancy.

Pregnancy Diet
Maintaining a good diet is an essential part of pregnancy health. By ensuring that you are getting a well-balanced diet you are ensuring that you baby is eating well. After all, whatever you eat, your baby eats too! Pregnant women require more of certain vitamins and minerals than women who are not pregnant, and therefore you should try your best to meet these requirements.

Calcium, iron, and vitamin C are just a few of the essential nutrients that you will need to get lots of. You will probably need to gain between 25 and 35 pounds, depending upon your size before you were pregnant. By maintaining a balanced diet you will help you gain a healthy amount of weight - not too much and not too little. Following a good pregnancy diet will ensure that your baby develops just according to plan.

Pregnancy Exercise
Though you may shudder at the thought, exercise is also an important facet to pregnancy health. Regular exercise can help to maintain your energy and strength, as well as reduce all those nasty pregnancy symptoms. Additionally, regular exercise will help you to sleep better at night. Consult with your health care provider about the kind of exercise that is best for you. Generally, low-impact aerobic or strength-training workouts are best for getting the heart pumping and that blood flowing! Be careful not to overdo it though - pregnancy will leave you feeling fatigued sometimes.

Pregnancy Health Risks
There are a few things that you should try to avoid while you are pregnant. Certain foods, chemicals, and environments can be hazardous to your baby and could prevent her from developing properly.

Alcohol: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is not recommended, as it can travel through the placenta and affect your baby. While the odd drink when you are expecting probably won't cause any harm, regular drinking does increase the chances of your baby developing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which can cause serious mental and physical handicaps.

Smoking: Cigarette smoking can also be very harmful to your baby. Smoking deprives your baby of oxygen and nutrition and may cause your placenta to thin out. Women who smoke during pregnancy are at increased risk for delivering low birth weight babies or premature babies.

Drug Use: It is important to be careful when you are using prescription or over-the-counter drugs when you are pregnant. Some medicines are dangerous for your baby, so check with your health care provider first. Narcotics, like cocaine, heroin, and ecstasy are very dangerous to your baby. Regular use of these drugs can also impair your fertility. Even a single use of these drugs can cause serious complications, including preterm labor, miscarriage, and stillbirth.