Pre - pregnancy Guide

Nowadays, the majority of pregnancies are planned. So, it is a great opportunity to improve your preconception health in order to have more chances of having a healthy baby.

• One month before conception and during the first trimester of your pregnancy, you could take folic acid in order to prevent birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine such as spina bifida . If you take a multivitamin, you should be aware of the amount of vitamin A that you get, due to the fact that it may cause birth defects
• Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Smoking may cause many problems before contraceptive (infertility) and during pregnancy such as premature birth, infants with low birth weights for their gestational age and infant death. Moderate alcohol consumption before pregnancy and stop it after conception
• Start eating healthier. Avoid processed foods and switch to foods like wholegrain cereal, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice and brown molasses sugar. Limit red meat and prefer fish. Avoid raw meat, soft cheese and shellfish. Develop healthy eating habits. Limit the amount of caffeine. A recommended consumption is less than 200 milligrams (mg) caffeine per day. Chocolate and tea does also contain caffeine! Try to keep your weight at your desired level in order to have a lower risk of diabetes and hypertension
• Start a work out plan since it is really beneficial when you are pregnant! It is recommended a 30-minute of moderate-intensity exercise every single day
• Take a good care of your teeth due to the fact that hormonal changes during pregnancy cause gum sensitive such as inflammation of the gum. For this reason, it is a great opportunity to visit your dentist especially if you haven’t been there the last 6 months
• Avoid radiation exposure, pesticides and other harmful substances

Visit Dr. Marinakis and discuss about thinking of getting pregnant. He will ask information about your personal and family medical history, medication that you may take or unhealthy habits like smoking or alcohol consumption. You can discuss with him about your diet and your fitness habits and whatever else may arise! Keep in mind that the key of a successful pregnancy is the communication and the confidence.