Does pregnancy require planning? It happened naturally in previous generations, right?

1.The planning for pregnancy is called preconception and it is 3 to 6 months before pregnancy.

Preconception health and health care focus on things you can do before and between pregnancies to optimize the chances of a healthy baby’s arrival. Getting your body ready for pregnancy requires the help of experts and is worth trying as the baby is born only once.

For some, this journey takes a few months; for others, it’s a bit longer. This depends on current medical health records. A wait of 9 months is a result of the care and concerns of preconception. Let’s see how to get started with the planning.

Make a plan in writing in consultation with your partner regarding when and how to start a family. Consider all aspects of the individual like body, mind and soul. We Indians have a rich holistic approach towards pregnancies, no wonder the concept of antenatal care is well established now.

The health of the couple matters. it involves living in harmony, eating well & nutritionally balanced and complete food. Leading a stress-free life & open communication within the family.

Make a plan keeping the age of the couple, financial aspects, working schedules in place, number of children you want to have, years of gaps or spacing of children within etc.

2.Once you start a family, it’s time to see a gynaecologist.

Talk to a doctor about current medication if any to stop or take a new prescription. Your doctor will review a health record or any condition that may affect pregnancy. The correction of such health conditions can be identified early, so treatments can be initiated.

Some health conditions like STDs, irregular menses, thyroid, diabetes, etc. must be controlled. It is often seen that findings of other health comorbidities are revealed during the preconception checkup.

This not only invites additional time and cost but brings emotional distress to the couple. The chances to have a healthy child are increased if the consultation is taken well in time.

Medication & lifestyle modifications are of great importance in preconception health. Cessation of smoking, alcohol as well as certain medications helps.

3.Maintaining a healthy weight: Being overweight and overweight hurts pregnancy. Hormonal health is weight dependent; in both cases, the link with rising infertility is well established.

Let’s stress very vital information. A healthy weight comes with healthy habits. Merely limiting the fats & carbohydrates from the diet will not help. It is the expert nutritionist domain, which will tailor-make your eating pattern and guide you through craving for weight maintenance.

Being overweight during pregnancy may increase your chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects, and may induce a cesarean birth (C-section).

It is not a wise decision to lose weight during pregnancy. But it is a very good concern to attain a healthy body weight before becoming pregnant.

4.Mindful eating:Colorful veggies and fruits have a long-lasting impact on tissue building. Always have a protein-rich diet. As these are organic sources of nutrients, easy to digest and valuable in building the muscle mass of the body.

The real concern today is about established myths. A woman should eat for two.

While it is true that women need to increase their caloric intake slightly during pregnancy but avoid overeating. Overeating can be harmful to both the woman and the fetus, especially if the diet contains empty calories. Women should aim for a gradual increase in nutrient-rich food and calories throughout the pregnancy as you need about 300 extra calories a day more than a usual diet.

5.Taking Vitamins and Folic Acid under the guidance of a gynaecologist.

Take a vitamin and mineral supplement that includes at least 0.4 milligrams (400 micrograms) of folic acid, as Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects, especially problems with the baby’s spine. Folic acid is an essential element for building cells, tissues & blood too.

Avoid high doses of any vitamins like A, D, E, and K as these vitamins can cause birth defects if you opt for more than the normal recommended daily requirements. Regular pregnancy prenatal vitamins do not offer excessively high doses of any vitamin.

6.Exercise is internal cleansing and is a must.

Exercising before you get pregnant may help the body deal with all of the changes that you will go through during the pregnancy and labour. It increases the tolerance level for pain.

Most women who are already exercising can safely continue their current exercise program throughout their pregnancy.

And most women, even if, are not exercising as of date, should initiate an exercise program of 30 minutes of brisk exercise for 5 days a week, before conceiving and throughout pregnancy.

The amount of exercise you can do during pregnancy is based on your overall health and the activity you are engaged with. A woman should avoid exercising when pregnant is a complete myth. Most women should do light-to-moderate exercise during pregnancy.

7.See the dentist right away

As gum disease is associated with preterm delivery, so it is good to see a dentist to ensure you’re in good dental health before getting pregnant. If you need dental treatments, X-rays, or medications, it’s advisable to take care of dental issues before getting pregnant.

8.Is prenatal care limited to the first pregnancy?

If you have mothered several children, you have gathered experience about every pregnancy being different or how no two pregnancies are the same. The mother’s age as well as the medical condition of both partners play an important role. However, your health in general can change from one pregnancy to the next, so prenatal care differs. Seeking prenatal care is essential irrespective of the number of children you have. You need to treat every pregnancy as new

The journey of parenthood is often an enjoyable one with careful planning to welcome a child with open arms. The Health and ambience of parents are instrumental in developing healthy babies who are present and future-ready.

That is the reason, old wisdom is tested with science to bring the best evidence-based tactics. We have one of its best Antenatal programs in place. Multidisciplinary YASHSHASWI antenatal classes have delivered the joy of pleasant parenthood to thousands.

We, at Pearl Women’s hosp, Pune have a centre of excellence in ANTENATAL CARE for future-ready couple.