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Is Your Pre-Pregnancy Diet Up to Snuff?

If you're planning for a baby in your future, you need to give some thought to what you’re eating. While a healthy diet is no guarantee of conception, being healthy improves your fertility and increases your chances of having a healthy pregnancy.

First of all, you should schedule an appointment with your health care provider before you start trying to conceive. Your health care provider can address any concerns you may have related to your personal medical history or condition, as well as any lifestyle habits you have that could affect your baby. This is also a good time to talk about your family medical history, your partner's medical history and any possible inherited conditions in your partner's family.

One condition your health care provider can check for is anemia. During pregnancy, your blood volume will increase, which tends to cause anemia. You’ll need to include good sources of iron in your diet before you conceive to minimize your risk of anemia during pregnancy, as well as to deal with any pre-existing anemia.

Also, your health care provider can help you to rule out diabetes. If you’re diabetic, you can still have a healthy pregnancy, but you need to learn to eat for good blood sugar control before you conceive to have the best chances of an uncomplicated pregnancy.

Your health care provider can also help you determine if you’re at a healthy weight. If you are overweight, you can still have a healthy pregnancy, but your doctor may suggest losing some weight before you become pregnant – it’s not a good idea to lose weight while pregnant. If you’re underweight, you may have nutritional deficiencies that need to be addressed before conception. Also, if you have any eating disorders, you should seek care for them before becoming pregnant as well. Never go on a crash diet before pregnancy – you need to be eating a healthy diet to ensure you have adequate nutrient stores right from the very beginning of your pregnancy.

In addition, there are certain vitamins that are known to cause and to prevent birth defects. Specifically, folic acid, one of the B vitamins, has been shown to prevent neural tube defects. You should begin consuming 400 mcgs of folic acid daily at least one month before conceiving and throughout your entire pregnancy. Your baby's brain and spinal cord develop during the first 23 days of pregnancy – for most women, this amount of time has elapsed before they even know they are pregnant, meaning that they’ve missed an important opportunity. Because of the importance of this vitamin, it’s a good idea to take a folic acid supplement as soon as you start trying to conceive, rather than relying on diet alone. The body can’t store B vitamins – you need to consume adequate amounts every day.

On the other hand, too much vitamin A may cause birth defects. Your body can store vitamin A, as well as manufacture vitamin A from beta carotene you have eaten. Eat foods rich in beta carotene and your body will be able to make all the vitamin A you need without you adding excess amounts to your system.

And, as mentioned before, your baby's nervous system begins developing as soon as you conceive. Essential fatty acids, like the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA, are, well, essential to your baby's brain and nervous system development. You should begin consuming adequate essential fatty acids or taking a fatty acid supplement before pregnancy so that your body has adequate stores of this important nutrient as soon as they are needed.

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