Pregnancy is a time of being prepared. You need to make sure you pick the right doctor, outfit a nursery and stockpile the diapers. Even before becoming pregnant, a lot of women have a list of potential names ready and visions of all the things they want to do and be as a mom. To make sure those visions of a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful health baby come true, moms-to-be need to start planning far in advance by making sure they are in a place of good health well before conception. With the rising obesity epidemic, women are putting their health as well as the health of their children, at risk if they are overweight or obese prior to and during pregnancy.
For example, a recent study shows a dramatic increase in the number of pregnancy related strokes in the U.S. Pregnancy itself can raise a woman’s risk of stroke due to the hormonal changes that occur. However, the 54% increase they observed seems to be linked to the fact that more and more women are obese and have obesity related diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Or a study in the European Journal of Pediatrics showed a 1.4-2 times greater risk of a child being overweight or obese if the mother was overweight or obese prior to or during pregnancy. Some might argue that it is nurture (after all who do these children learn their eating habits from) but there is also early research indicating it could be the exposure to extra hormones during the pregnancy (like elevated levels of insulin) that could be the culprit.
Your pre-pregnancy plan should start much farther out than that first bottle of prenatal vitamins. Any woman who sees herself as a mom at some point in the future should consider the following:
- Be active.
Exercising on a regular basis before pregnancy helps manage weight and set the habit so you continue during pregnancy. Women who exercise at least 30 minutes a day during pregnancy deliver smaller babies than obese women. High birth weights are also linked to a greater risk of obesity later in life.
- Be a healthy weight.
Know your body fat percentage and BMI and if they are in a healthy range for you. Obesity can affect your ability to conceive in addition to increase your risks of stroke and a preterm delivery.
- Reduce stress.
Stress can exacerbate conditions like high blood pressure and also affect your ability to conceive. Try adding meditation to your daily routine for a healthy mind to support a healthy body.
- Eat clean.
Make sure you are getting 400 mcg per day of folic acid and 27 mg per day of iron far in advance of your attempts to conceive. Eat plenty of plant based proteins, fatty fish, dark leafy greens and heart healthy oils to make sure your body has everything it needs to start a pregnancy off right.
Every mom wants to the best for her children. To help make sure that includes a healthy future, every women needs to take care of her health first.
