All parents want their babies to be born healthy. While there are many beliefs about healthcare before {conception}, there are still few facts. 1 thing is certain, getting yourself healthy !i! before you conceive !n! can do nothing but good. It was understood nothing could be done to influence a baby's growth in the {womb}, but in recent years that opinion has changed.
It's now known some things can harm a baby before birth, often before the mother knows she's pregnant. Without doubt physically, a woman's body is best suited to pregnancy during teenage years. With today's career opportunities, women often leave pregnancy until later & so extra care has to be taken.
The 1st few weeks of a baby's development in the {womb} are truly a !i! 'growth explosion', !n! during which the {fetus} grows faster than at any other time.
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!b i! During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus increases in weight by 2,000,000%, & the women may still be unaware she's pregnant!!
!n! Smoking & drinking have been shown to reduce baby weight at birth, & may affect physical & mental development. They can also affect the quantity & quality of a man's {sperm}.
Everyone has some idea about 'healthy' food, but very few of us regularly eat it. Yet recent research suggests a mother's diet may be vital for the well-being of her unborn baby.
A good diet should contain {protein} (in meat, fish, dairy products, wholewheat, beans, etc.), fruit & vegetables. Additional milk will provide extra {calcium} & {vitamins}. Reduce intake of fat, sugar & salt in diet. Only take medications after consulting your doctor. !b! Treat all medicines as potentially dangerous & avoid them if possible. !n! This is also true of 'herbal' medicines.
It makes sense to establish:
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whether you & your partner are fit
both family backgrounds to pin-point any possibility of {hereditary} disease or history of twins
family background for diseases such as {diabetes}, {tuberculosis} & {high blood pressure}
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The person who will provide this service is your doctor or physician specialising in {obstetrics}. Make an appointment before considering {conception}. This will involve assessing your medical {history}, including details of any previous illness & any admissions to hospital for surgery or any other serious illness.
A detailed enquiry will be made into frequency of the women's {periods}, including length of cycle from 1st day blood loss to onset of next bleed. This may vary but is usually 28 days (a 21-35 day cycle is common).
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You will be asked:
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how long you lose blood for (this may be from 3-7 days); it's a good idea to keep a diary of your periods for 3mths before consulting your doctor
do you smoke (& how many)
do you consume alcohol
are you taking drugs of any sort
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Having completed your history, the doctor will invite the woman for a general physical examination. This includes the chest, abdomen, {heart} & {blood pressure}, & paying particular attention to breasts & {genitalia}. When being weighed & measured don't be surprized if you're asked what size shoes you wear. There's a close relationship between height, shoe size & capacity of {pelvis}.
It's also a convenient time to perform a {speculum} examination of the {vagina} to look at the {cervix} & to take a cervical, or pap, {smear}. In this way any abnormality of the cervix & vagina may be discovered. A gentle internal examination is performed to assess the size of {womb}, its {axis} & to feel the {ovaries} to establish they're normal.
Finally, a blood sample will be taken. This determines:
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if you are {anemic} or have any other abnormalities
if you have been exposed to sexually transmitted diseases
your blood group (this may be important to your baby)
if you are immune to {rubella}
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{Rubella} (german measles), is an infectious disease of young children & non-immune adults. It is a very mild viral disease in children causing a rash & temperature. But with pregnant women (in 1st 16 weeks of pregnancy), the {virus} can damage the {fetus}.
The male partner is examined in a similar manner, with particular attention to {penis} & {testes}. Abnormalities can be detected. e.g. hydrocoele (collection of fluid in spermatic cords) or varicocoele (collection of dilated {veins} surrounding spermatic cord, which can cause temporary sub-fertility). A blood sample is recommended to test for sexually transmitted diseases & {AIDS}.
