Plan for Pregnancy Before You're Pregnant
February 8, 2004
The time to plan for a pregnancy is before you
become pregnant. Your health and the health of
your new baby depend on you. It is also
important to remember that most women don’t know they are pregnant for three to four
weeks and many pregnancies are unexpected. By
the time you find out you are pregnant your baby is already forming major organs and
structures.
How can you be prepared?
First take 400 mcg of folic acid (a B vitamin) every day to help
prevent defects of the brain and spinal cord. It
is safe to take a multivitamin. Avoid high
doses of vitamins which may be harmful. Eat a
balanced diet with foods rich in folic acid like green leafy vegetables, broccoli,
oranges, and bananas. Iron and calcium are
also important. If you do not drink milk, you
can get additional calcium from fortified orange juice, breads or cereals or take a
calcium supplement. Reduce your caffeine. Drink no more than two cups of coffee or six
glasses of tea or soda per day. Try to reach a
healthy weight before you become pregnant. You
should not be on a weight-loss diet during pregnancy.
If you need help with your diet, call your family doctor.
What should you avoid?
Smoking cigarettes increases your risk of miscarriage or having a baby with a low birth
weight. Alcohol and illegal drugs such as
cocaine, marijuana, and heroin can cause birth defects or other problems with your baby. If you need help stopping, call your family doctor.
Do you need any immunizations?
If you have never had the chickenpox, you will need two vaccine
injections at least one month prior to pregnancy. If
you are not immune to rubella, you will need a booster shot of MMR (measles, mumps, and
rubella) at least one month before getting pregnant. You
may need a three shot series for hepatitis B. When
flu season comes around in the fall, a flu shot is recommended, either before you become
pregnant or while you are pregnant. Your
family doctor can help you get your immunizations up-to-date.
What about genetic diseases?
Some risks increase with age especially over age 35. Tests are available during pregnancy for Down
syndrome and some other genetic problems. If
you are black, or you or your family are from the Middle East, India, Southeastern Asia,
or the region of the Mediterranean Sea, or if your family is of European Jewish or French
Canadian origin, there are tests that will screen for certain genetic diseases that may be
more common. If you or the baby’s father
has a family history of cystic fibrosis or congenital hearing loss, you might be tested to
see if you carry one of these traits. If you
have questions, consult with your family doctor
Coppell is fortunate to have many excellent family doctors. Two family physicians in Coppell can help you
prepare for your pregnancy, take care of you during your pregnancy, and take care of you
and your baby after delivery. Drs. Nina Cahan
and Tamra Deuser at Coppell Associates in Family Medicine specialize in Family Practice
with special interest in Obstetrics. Call
972-393-5559 for an appointment today.
For More Information Contact:
Coppell Associates in Family Medicine, P.A.
848 S. Denton Tap Rd., Ste. 100
Tel: (972) 393-5559
FAX: (972) 393-5479
Internet: info@coppellfamilydocs.com
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