It means making sure you and your partner are healthy before trying to conceive. It could also mean knowing how existing health conditions and risk factors could affect a woman or her unborn baby if she becomes pregnant. For example, some eating habits or medicines and some pre-existing health condition like diabetes can harm your baby — even before he or she is conceived.
Reaching a healthy preconception weight and BMI
Did you know that getting your weight as close as you can to “ideal” before you’re expecting can actually help you expect sooner? There’s a strong connection between weight and fertility, so getting to a healthy weight for your body type is an important step to take when you’re getting your body ready for baby-making.
Why it’s important?
By taking action on health issues and risks before pregnancy, you can prevent problems that might affect you or your baby later. A bad diet, being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking and unhealthy working conditions can affect the quality of sperm and stop you getting pregnant. You should both try to make your lifestyle as healthy as possible before you try to conceive. You will definitely increase your chances of getting pregnant if you and your partner are both healthy.
Women and men should prepare for pregnancy before becoming sexually active — or at least three months before getting pregnant. Some actions, such as quitting smoking, reaching a healthy weight, or adjusting medicines you are using, should start even earlier.
• prevent unintended pregnancies
• prevent complications during pregnancy
and delivery
• prevent stillbirths, preterm birth and low
birth weight
• prevent birth defects
• prevent neonatal infections
• prevent underweight and stunting
• prevent vertical transmission of HIV/STIs
• lower the risk of some forms of childhood cancers
• lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular
disease later in life.
Top things you can do for your preconception health are:
- Take 400 to 800 micrograms (400 to 800 mcg or 0.4 to 0.8 mg) of folic acid every day if you are planning or capable of pregnancy to lower your risk of some birth defects of the brain and spine, including spina bifida. All women need folic acid every day. Talk to your doctor about your folic acid needs. Some doctors prescribe prenatal vitamins that contain higher amounts of folic acid.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
- If you have a medical condition, be sure it is under control. Some conditions that can affect pregnancy or be affected by it include asthma, diabetes, oral health, obesity, or epilepsy.
- Talk to your doctor about any over-the-counter and prescription medicines you are using. These include dietary or herbal supplements. Be sure your vaccinations are up to date.
- Avoid contact with toxic substances or materials that could cause infection at work and at home. Stay away from chemicals and cat or rodent feces.
