The process of getting pregnant is quite easy, but it is more difficult to actually get ready for it, and this is what planning a pregnancy means. There are a lot of things that this addresses, including vitamins, nutrition, body weight, exercise, and the medication that you have been taking that could be harmful for the baby.
In case you talk to your health care provider, most probably you will also mention genetic counseling and immunization.
Before you actually start with the pregnancy planning you should know that it is good to be taking folic acid to reduce the chances of birth defects of the little one regarding the skull and the spinal cord.
There are some things that you should be avoiding while being pregnant, such as alcohol that has been proven to have a word to say regarding infertility, birth defects and even miscarriage.
Also certain kinds of medications, like acne medications have to be considered in pregnancy planning because they could cause birth defects too.
In case you are of a certain age that is older than the average, you should also know that the children of older women have higher chances of having chromosomal abnormalities.
There are some myths regarding planning a pregnancy like the fact that the timing of intercourse affects the gender of the baby. There is no scientific evidence to support this misconception.
Birth control as part of planning a pregnancy
Although it may seem that it has nothing to do with pregnancy planning, you have to consider the kind of birth control that you have been using. In some cases the doctor could advise you to have a pill free period before you try to get pregnant. This way the reproductive system will be able to get back on the normal track.
During this period of pregnancy planning consider other methods of birth control, like using a condom during intercourse. Your organism could start the normal cycle about two weeks after stopping taking the birth control pills.
Immunization
This has been mentioned before regarding planning a pregnancy and there are certain illnesses that can be fatal for the unborn baby, like varicella, rubella, and hepatitis B. In case you didn’t get vaccines against them, they should be included in the pregnancy planning and you should get them at least one month before conceiving.
Medication
You now know that certain medications can have an effect on the development of the baby and this is why it is important for you to tell your health care provider the kind of medication and herbs you are taking. He or she could change them or you might be advised to totally stop taking them. This is also the right moment to ask about the supplements that you should be taking.
Sexually transmitted infections
If you feel you are at risk of having such infections, tell your doctor about your concerns and he or she most probably will advise you to get preconception screening while planning a pregnancy.
