Most pregnancies progress with few problems. However, this does not mean that planning and getting ready for pregnancy is an unnecessary concern. During the early weeks of pregnancy the baby's body and internal organs are formed. A mother's health can affect this early development. Therefore, it is important to prepare yourself for pregnancy even before you try to conceive.

Talking to your doctor about your medical history can help protect your baby from potentially harmful situations, such as infections or birth defects. Also, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help your body deal better with the stresses of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and breast-feeding.

Talking with Your Doctor

Before you become pregnant, it is a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor to talk about your pregnancy plans and have a physical exam. This is called a preconception visit. The doctor will ask you questions about your medical history, lifestyle, and any past pregnancies. The answers to these questions will help identify any risks or problems you may have.

Your Medical History

It is important to know if you have or have had certain diseases or medical conditions. Some conditions cause fewer problems during pregnancy if they are brought under control before pregnancy.

Your doctor will want to know if you have had any of the following diseases or conditions:

• diabetes

• hyperthyroidism

• hypothyroidism

• asthma

• high blood pressure

• epilepsy

• lupus

• herpes

• heart disease

• sickle cell trait or disease

• urinary tract infections

• deep vein thrombosis

• kidney disease

• arthritis

• cancer

• hepatitis.

Also, tell the doctor about any medications you are taking, including prescribed drugs and medicines available without a prescription.

Information on any past pregnancies or gynecologic problems helps the doctor predict problems that might occur during pregnancy or when you are trying to conceive. Such information includes:

• menstrual history

• birth control methods you have used

• whether your mother used the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a hormone that was given to pregnant women a generation ago to prevent miscarriage

• abnormalities of the uterus

• problems getting pregnant

• complications that occurred in past pregnancies

• abortions, how many and how they were done

• stillbirths or miscarriages

• births of babies weighing more than 9 pounds or less than 5 and 1/2 pounds

• births by cesarean section

• newborn deaths or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Some infectious diseases can harm a baby before or after the baby is born, affect your ability to get pregnant, or affect the delivery. Some of these diseases are:

• toxoplasmosis

• chickenpox

• rubella

• syphilis

• hepatitis

• herpes

• chlamydia

• gonorrhea

• AIDS

• genital warts.

If you have one of the sexually transmitted diseases (such as chlamydia or gonorrhea), you and your partner should finish treatment for the disease before you try to get pregnant.

It is also important to check if you have immunity to rubella, measles, or mumps (for example, by exposure or vaccination). Your doctor can look at your past medical records or may test you for immunity. You may need vaccinations against these diseases before you try to get pregnant. Be sure to use birth control for at least 3 months after you get the shots.

Your Family History

Some families have a history of inherited diseases or birth defects. Discuss your family medical history and the father's family medical history with your doctor. If there is a chance that your baby will inherit a disease or other problem, your doctor may refer you to a genetic counselor. A genetic counselor can help determine your chances of having a child with birth defects or inherited diseases. The doctor or genetic counselor might do some studies of your chromosomes and the father's chromosomes. Examples of inherited diseases are:

• hemophilia

• thalassemia

• Tay-Sachs disease

• sickle cell anemia

• phenylketonuria (PKU)

• cystic fibrosis

• Down syndrome

• neural tube defects

• pyloric stenosis.

Birth defects are abnormalities seen in infants at birth. They can be abnormalities of the bones, organs, or any part of the body. Examples of birth defects are cleft lip or palate, heart disease, and an opening in the spine called spina bifida.

A Healthy Lifestyle

Diet

A balanced diet is always important for good health. Try to correct any deficiencies in your diet before pregnancy puts more demands on your body. Following a healthy diet before you get pregnant ensures that you and your baby start with the nutrients you need. Discuss your diet with your doctor to determine whether there are any changes you should make before you get pregnant.

Your weight before you get pregnant is also important. If you are underweight, you are more likely to have a small baby. Small babies have more problems during labor and just after they are born. Being overweight is also a health hazard for you and your baby. You have a greater chance of having high blood pressure and diabetes if you are overweight when you are pregnant. However, it is not good to try to lose weight when you are pregnant because you may deprive your baby of needed nutrients. If you are underweight or overweight, try to reach an ideal weight before you become pregnant.

Exercise

Good health depends not only on a balanced diet, but also on getting enough exercise. Starting or continuing a regular exercise program before you get pregnant helps prepare your body for the stresses of pregnancy and labor. It will also affect how much you can exercise while you are pregnant. If you are starting an exercise program and are not used to being active, begin gradually.

Lifestyle

A mother's habits and exposure of the mother or father to toxic chemicals or radiation can affect their abilities to conceive or the well-being of the baby.

Tobacco, alcohol, and drugs such as marijuana, crack, cocaine, and heroin are dangerous for both the mother and the unborn baby. If you are planning to get pregnant, now more than ever is the time to quit your use of these substances. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor to help you quit. He or she can offer support and medical advice.

Tell your doctor if you are exposed to heat, radiation, lead, chemicals, or pesticides.

Your doctor should also know if there is violence or abuse in your home. Never get pregnant to try to help a troubled marriage. Frequently having a child makes things worse.

It is also important to plan ahead and think about many aspects of your life that will change such as your budget, work situation, daily schedule, health, and relationships with family and friends.

Conceiving and Early Pregnancy

Once you have had a physical examination, you are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and you feel it is the right time to try to conceive, you are on your way to having a healthy baby.

During a normal 28-day menstrual cycle, the egg is released around day 14 (day 1 being the first day of your period). Therefore, you are more likely to conceive if you have intercourse on days 10 through 16.

However, do not expect to become pregnant immediately. It takes an average couple 6 months to conceive. However, 80% of couples conceive after one year of trying. If you still are not pregnant after one year, make an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor may be able to help pinpoint the reason why you are having trouble conceiving.

Normally, women suspect they are pregnant if they miss a period, though this is not always the case. Some women have spotting that may lure them into thinking they are not pregnant when they really are. With the use of pregnancy tests, you will be able to confirm your suspicions. Pregnancy tests measure the level of a hormone called HCG (produced by the placenta) in your urine or blood.

With a blood test at the doctor's office you can find out if you are pregnant as early as 9 days after conception. Home pregnancy tests are also very reliable. With some home tests you can find out if you are pregnant on the day your period should have started. When you think you are pregnant, call your doctor. Tell the doctor when your last period started. If you are pregnant, this is useful information for when the doctor is figuring out your due date.

During the time you are trying to get pregnant, try to relax and not let it become a stressful experience. Stress may make it harder for you to become pregnant. And remember that because there is time between when you are trying to get pregnant and when you know that you are pregnant, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. That way you can find comfort in knowing that you are providing the healthiest environment possible for your baby no matter when he or she is conceived.