Having a baby is the most natural thing in the world. However, a lot of things can go wrong. To reduce your chances of complications and to improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby there are things you can do.
Health Screening
The first step towards a healthy pregnancy is to get a comprehensive physical and health screening before you try to conceive. To start with you will want to get a comprehensive physical exam that assesses your overall health, that takes your weight and blood pressure, that tests your for diabetes and other disorders. Next you will want to get your annual health screening for breast and cervical cancers. At this time you will also want to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases and for other disorders that you are at risk of developing. These screenings will help to identify potential roadblocks to conception and a healthy baby.
Prepare Your Body for Pregnancy
Pregnancy is not easy on your body. In order to remain healthy throughout your pregnancy and to give your baby the best environment to develop in it is a good idea to work with your gynecologist/obstetrician to develop a health and fitness plan to prepare your body for pregnancy. Usually when you are trying to conceive your doctor will have you start taking prenatal vitamins about three months before you get pregnant. They may also help you develop a plan to lose weight, improve your cholesterol levels or to get your blood pressure under control. Finally, your doctor will help you to develop a diet that will reduce your chances of developing pregnancy complications.
Planning Your Pregnancy
Once your health is under control you will be in a great position to plan your pregnancy with your partner. There are a lot to think about when planning a pregnancy. If you have heat sensitivities you may want to plan to get pregnant so you will deliver in the springtime as opposed to the summer or fall. If you will be going through infertility treatments you may want to schedule those treatments during months when you are less busy at work or when you have time off. This will help make the stress of these treatments easier to handle, which will in turn increase your chances of a successful fertility treatment.
Conception
The last step is the most fun, conception. A women is only fertile a few days out of the month. She can usually tell that she is fertile because her skin is brighter, her vaginal discharge is stickier and her sex drive is up. However, not all women can determine when they are fertile. Fortunately there are ovulation test kits that you can use to determine when you are most likely to conceive. When it is time to try to get pregnant your best bet is to just relax and have fun as stress can block your ability to conceive or maintain an early pregnancy.
