Planning a pregnancy: a checklist for future parents

It is customary to plan all important events in life. Before buying an apartment, we carefully study the area and the reputation of the developer. Before the wedding, we choose a date, think over a dress, look for an ideal place for a celebration. Even on vacation, few people go at random: more often than not, we delve into the features of resorts and hotel reviews for a long time and meticulously. Pregnancy in this regard is one of the main events in the life of a young family, which requires very thoughtful preparation. The gynecologist told about what to pay attention to future parents before conceiving a baby on her Telegram channel. Anastasia Gerasimova

Purely theoretically healthy parents need not prepare for the conception of a baby. However, we all know that there are no healthy people in our country, there are unexamined people. This joke is just a fraction of a joke. Ukrainian ecology, as well as bad habits and not entirely healthy lifestyle typical for our youth, often lead to unexpected consequences. Such, for example, as overweight, hypertension in young men and women, cholelithiasis or chronic gastrointestinal diseases.

This may not interfere with future pregnancy, but may complicate its course. Therefore, it is better to be prepared in advance for possible surprises from your body. If you firmly decided that it is time to have a baby, postpone the active implementation of this decision in life for only 2-3 months. Make a detailed plan of action for this time: what to change in your life, what to check, and what to heal. To do this, we have compiled a simple checklist, in which, with the help of Anastasia Gerasimova, we highlighted the main points of preparation for conceiving a child.

Collection of information

Before going to a foreign country, people always try to collect as much information as possible about a new place: the nuances of the climate, national customs, language and peculiarities of the mentality. Pregnancy is not just a trip, it is a move to a foreign country for permanent residence. The more you know about it, the easier it will be for you to understand what is happening to you in the process. At the same time, it is advisable not to sit on women's forums and not read horror stories and other people's negative experiences from there. Start with expert books on pregnancy, fetal development, and fetal formation. Together with your partner, you can enroll in courses for future parents - couples go there not only during pregnancy, but also before conceiving a baby.

Visit to a therapist

Parents-to-be can visit a therapist together / istockphoto.com

A few months before the planned conception, go with your partner for a preventive visit to a therapist. Explain the purpose of your visit and consult about possible chronic diseases. If you have any specific complaints, the therapist should definitely refer you to narrowly specialized specialists. You may need to see a gastroenterologist, cardiologist, neurologist, or other doctor. This is important not only for the diagnosis. If you already have any chronic medical conditions, your doctor can help you adjust your lifestyle or treatment.

Visit to the dentist

Make sure to visit your dentist before pregnancy / istockphoto.com

A visit to the dentist is recommended for pregnant women in the first trimester. Later, teeth can be treated with medication (local anesthesia) only in case of acute pain. Therefore, it is better to attend to the condition of your teeth and gums in advance. Try to get rid of all, even the smallest, problems in the oral cavity if possible, and choose the right dental care regimen with a specialist. Keep in mind that during pregnancy, the risk of tooth decay and gum disease increases.

Visit to a gynecologist / urologist

The gynecologist is your specialist for the entire duration of your pregnancy. You can go to him last, after the therapist and narrow-profile doctors. The doctor will check the general condition of your reproductive system, determine the readiness for conception and pregnancy, advise on selection of vitamins and minerals, and will also prescribe you mandatory tests for infections that are sexually transmitted by way. In some cases, the gynecologist may advise you to go to a geneticist (if you or your husband have had cases of genetic diseases in the family). You don't need to run to a genetics on your own: unnecessary tests can sow unnecessary doubts in your soul.

Delivery of analyzes

Parents-to-be will need to undergo a series of tests / istockphoto.com

Everything required analyzes you should be prescribed by a therapist and gynecologist. If the specialists missed something, you can ask them for a referral or take these tests yourself. Anastasia Gerasimova advises at the stage of pregnancy planning to check your body according to the following parameters:

• a general blood test (to know the level of hemoglobin and ferritin, and in case of problems with the tests, to diagnose iron deficiency anemia in a timely manner)
• biochemical blood test (the main indicator here is the level of glucose in the blood)
• tests for sexually transmitted infections (HIV, antibodies to hepatitis B and C, antibodies to treponema pale). It is also advisable to add here analyzes for chlamydia, gonorrhea, Trichomonas and mycoplasma
• if you are not vaccinated against rubella, chickenpox and measles, you need to be tested for antibodies to these diseases and possibly carry out necessary vaccination (for example, rubella infection during pregnancy can lead to abnormalities in the development of fetus)
• a blood test for TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone, which tests the functioning of the thyroid gland)

Taking folic acid

Before pregnancy, you need to start taking the necessary micronutrients / istockphoto.com

This drug is mandatory prescribed to all pregnant women in the first trimester (up to 12 weeks) in order to exclude defects in the development of the neural tube of the fetus and its nervous system as a whole. However, gynecologists recommend starting taking folic acid not only during, but also at the planning stage of pregnancy. The dosage that can prevent defects in the development of the neural tube in an unborn child is 400-800 mgq of folic acid per day. The exact dosage should be prescribed by your doctor based on the test results. For a healthy woman, 400 mcg / day is enough, but with diabetes mellitus, the dose of folic acid can be increased to 800 mcg / day.

Taking additional vitamins

At the stage of planning pregnancy, the expectant mother can start drinking special vitamin complexes (be sure to note: if the complex contains folic acid, its additional intake is not needed). They will not harm the general condition of the mother. However, from what is really important and necessary, Anastasia Gerasimova highlights the intake of vitamin D (in a dosage of 500-1000 IU per day) and the consumption of iodized salt. You can additionally take a complex with Omega-3 or Omega-6, but it is better to get these acids not from tablets, but with the help of a proper balanced diet, the doctor advises.

Healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle is the key to a successful pregnancy / istockphoto.com

3 months before the planned conception, together with your partner, if possible, give up bad habits. First of all, quit smoking (including hookah). Smoking during pregnancy can lead to fetal hypoxia, provoke miscarriage or premature birth. Secondhand smoke is also very harmful to the health of the mother and child, so teach your partner (if he cannot quit smoking) and those close to the fact that smoking is prohibited in the house.

Alcohol cessation should also be planned before pregnancy, not during pregnancy. In the early stages, you may well not notice changes in your body. At the same time, it has been proven that alcohol crosses the placenta and can harm the baby. Alcohol, even in small quantities, can provoke a miscarriage or cause abnormalities in the development of the fetus.

Overweight can also be attributed to bad habits. Extra pounds during pregnancy will not add lightness to the expectant mother. In pregnant women, due to excess weight, blood pressure often "jumps" and blood clots form, they suffer more from edema, and they tolerate physical exertion worse. Experts say that gestational diabetes often develops against the background of excess weight during pregnancy. Therefore, at the planning stage of pregnancy, be sure to check the body mass index. A BMI over 25 indicates that you have unnecessary pounds, and a score over 30 indicates obesity.

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