Are You and Your Body Ready for Pregnancy?

Motherhood is a sacred and special title. During pregnancy the safety of the mum, as well as the baby, are paramount. So here are a few things all women should know before embarking on this journey both for the sake of themselves and their baby.

The purpose of these prenatal awareness articles is to help:

• Mothers maintain and improve their health during pregnancy.
• Identify and pay special attention to at-risk mothers.
• Take appropriate measures to prevent complications.
• Get rid of the fear and anxiety of pregnancy.
• Reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality and morbidity.
• Create awareness on nutrition and personal hygiene.

Doctors are of the opinion that a woman should be physically and mentally prepared for pregnancy.The ideal age for a woman to get pregnant is thought to be between ages 21 - 35 years. This is the age they will face minimal complications.

Once you are married, you should register with the Family Health Services Officer in your area. This will help you be aware of any programs conducted to educate women on important matters related to pregnancy and health. This will help you achieve a healthy pregnancy.

If you are planning on getting pregnant, you should consider your health before doing so. If there are any complications, pregnancy should be delayed until they are controlled.

Disease conditions that need to be controlled before pregnancy:

• Urinary tract infections
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Stress
• Epilepsy
• Anemia
• Mental illness
• Heart disease

Things you should do before getting pregnant:

• Make sure the blood type is Rh- / Rh+
• Make sure you are at the right weight.
• Take care of your dental health.
• Reduce stress.
• Remember that rest is essential.
• Do a check-up to see if there are any unknown conditions such as rheumatic or congenital heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, hypotension, kidney disease, epilepsy and thalassemia. If so, you need to get medical attention.
• Get the rubella vaccine (be sure to get it three months before you get pregnant).
• Get a genetic complications test as instructed by your doctor.
• Seek medical attention if you have anaemia.
• Seek treatment for thyroid gland disorders.
• Get used to eating a balanced diet.
• Start an exercise routine recommended by a qualified person.
• Take necessary vitamins and folic acid pills as prescribed by the doctor.
• Quit smoking and drinking alcohol (avoid indirect exposure as well).
• Avoid arbitrary medications without medical advice.

It is important for every woman who wishes for a baby to be sure that her health is in good shape before she becomes pregnant, as this will lead to minimal complications. Through a pre-pregnancy clinic, the health of the woman is fully monitored, and if there are any complications that are not conducive for a healthy pregnancy, your clinic or doctor will recommend you to stay on birth control measures until these are treated.