The young working woman of today seems to have it all - the moolah, the attitude and a whole lot of alpha. However, all of these come with baggage - stress.
Stress becomes cumbersome, when young women are trying to get pregnant.
Even pregnancy needs some amount of preparation, say doctors. When you are trying to get pregnant, you need to take care of certain things three months prior to planning. Gynaecologist Vishnu Vandana tells us what one needs to do before trying to conceive...
1. Folic Acid Is A Must:
- Folic acid supplements come highly recommended as it is known to have proven results of preventing malformation of a child. The recommended dosage is 5mg, and it is to be started three months before one is trying to conceive and is to be continued till the baby is born. Depending upon every woman's medical history, they will have to take different supplements.
2. Supplements Are Helpful:
- Earlier, when technology wasn't so advanced, prenatal abnormalities and mortalities were quite common. Nowadays, with lifestyle changes along with the right kind of supplements, these can be avoided. Moreover, earlier, families used to be joint families. These days, however, the size of the family is shrinking and women, too, are opting to conceive much later. So, you have to give your best shot when you are planning to have a baby.
3. Travelling During Pregnancy:
- When you are trying to conceive, there is no need to avoid driving a bike or a car. When you actually get pregnant, it maybe a different scenario, so make sure you consult with your doctor about driving. In fact, until a girl conceives, travel shouldn't be a problem. You can travel by train and roads too. However, travelling by flight is not recommended during the early stages of pregnancy. Even prior to pregnancy, frequent flight trips need to be avoided as the cosmic radiations and the decompression can affect you adversely.
4. Watch Your Weight:
- Women need to pay attention to their ideal body weight, which plays a key role in conception. Aim for ideal BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, as once you get pregnant, it will become tough to control your weight. Losing weight is not advisable during pregnancy. Also, before you actually conceive, you can continue with everything that you were doing — walking, jogging, gymming etc.
5. Maintain a sensible diet:
- Follow a diet that is rich in whole grains. Restrict carbs and increase your intake of protein and fiber. A lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats should be included in your diet. Try and avoid red meat and oily fried foods.
6. Avoid Smoking and Drinking:
- Give up smoking and drinking while trying to conceive.
7. Cut Down On Caffeine:
- During the pre-conception period, you can take about two cups of coffee. Taking excess caffeine can cause early abortions and reduce developmental growth. Have tea or green tea instead.
8. Try And Stay Stress Free:
- Emotional well-being is very important to conceive. Stress will put off your periods and affect ovulation too. It is proven scientifically that high stress leads to infertility. Cut down on stress as much as you can. There is a stress test which one can take before they conceive. A bit of saliva will be taken and will be tested for alpha-amylase.
9. Discuss About Vaccinations:
- Make sure you take your vaccinations according to schedule. Once you are vaccinated, you need to wait for a month and then get try and get pregnant. There is risk involved if you try to get pregnant after getting vaccinated.
10. Miscarriages Cannot Be Avoided Completely:
- Miscarriages mostly occur due to genetic reasons. You cannot avoid miscarriages completely. There are some things which the doctors can diagnose, but not treat. Pelvic infections need to be treated prior to conception.
