Pregnancy Planning
Planning :-
Some experts believe three months to be a perfectly adequate length of time to prepare for a pregnancy, others advise waiting six months or a year especially if you are recovering from any serious illness and have been prescribed drugs to treat it. Three months would be ideal normally as it takes at least eight weeks for eggs and sperm to develop to the stage of being ready to be released. Both partners should take care to be healthy to ensure that both the eggs and sperm developed are healthy. Keep fit, eat wisely, avoid things that could be harmful, and visit your doctor during this period. This way you can prepare for a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby.Pregnancy is a major event in a woman's life. With modern medical knowledge it is now possible to take wise decisions about your and your partner's health and lifestyle before planning a pregnancy, which will eventually affect the outcome of your pregnancy. Sitting down with your doctor to discuss your health, diet and environment helps to make changes, if required, to these factors.
Medications and Drugs :-
Consult your doctor about existing medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease etc you may have and medications you are taking, prior to conception. All chemical substances affect the production and growth of cells in our bodies. Even sleeping pills and pain killers are better avoided at this stage. Improve your health
Both you and your partner should eat a healthy diet by taking more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and reducing high fat or sweet for at least three months prior to pregnancy. All women trying to conceive should get plenty of folic acid in their diet as a deficiency of folic acid can lead to some birth defects like neural tube defects in developing infants. Take a multivitamin supplement that has 400 micrograms of folic acid and no more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance of other nutrients.
Infections and Vaccinations :-
During pregnancy the mother is more vulnerable to infections. These infections can harm not only the baby, but also the mother. Some infections during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects or illnesses in the baby.STDs (sexually transmitted diseases, like Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Genital herpes, Syphilis, HIV) are especially dangerous. They not only can affect your ability to become pregnant but can also infect and harm your baby.Talk to your doctor if you need any vaccinations before you plan your pregnancy, especially rubella . Your doctor might also advise you to get a vaccination for tetanus during your pregnancy.

Timing your pregnancy :-
The best time for a woman to have a baby is in her twenties. At this age her body is fully grown, there is no risk of damage to growing bones and she is supple and flexible with plenty of energy. As she grows older, particularly once she is past her early thirties, the more likely she is to experience complications. The older the mother the greater the risk of having a baby with abnormalities such as the down's syndrome which is related to increasing age.
Infections can harm both the mother and the fetus. Some infections during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects or illnesses in the fetus. Rubella or German measles is one such infection which can have disastrous effects on the development of the babies vital organs if contracted during the first four months of pregnancy. A blood test can be done to check whether you are immune to the disease. If you are not, a vaccination can be taken for immunisation. But care should be taken not to get pregnant for the following three months after immunisation.
Pregnancy Planning
Top 10 tips for initiating a healthy pregnancy : -
 
  • Check with your doctor that all medications you are taking are safe during pregnancy
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  • Discuss any family illnesses, especially diabetes, hypertension and TB with your doctor
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  • Take a test for German Measles (Rubella)
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  • Try to stop smoking (both you and your partner)
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  • Eat a variety of foods with as much fresh food as possible
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  • Start taking folic acid supplements
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  • Limit your alcohol intake
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  • Avoid mould ripened soft cheeses, liver products, and lightly cooked eggs
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  • Start exercising so that you tone your muscles.
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  • If you are going to have an X-ray, even a dental X-ray, mention to your doctor that you may be pregnant.
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    Stop birth control methods :-
    Stop using contraceptive pills several months before you try to conceive so you can have at least two normal cycles before succeeding. Remove an IUD before you begin trying. And since the risks of spermicides aren't really clear, you may want to use a condom or diaphragm alone for a month or so before you try to conceive.