Women's health

If you are pregnant it's important and necessary for you to get prenatal care, which lies in monitoring of your health and health of your baby. It's necessary to get prenatal as early as it's possible, on the one hand, and on the other, you should visit your doctor, who would check you and your baby up over the course of your pregnancy, regularly.

Some women may think that there's no need in prenatal care, but they are mistaken. Surveys prove that babies of mothers, who have rejected prenatal care, have a greater risk to be with a low birth weight and are five times likely to die. So to speak, prenatal care is necessary to keep mother and her baby healthy, because doctors have a chance to notice any problems when future mothers visit them regularly and in its turn to prevent any possible danger. Besides, doctors could recommend and consult mothers how they should behave and what they should do to give their unborn babies a healthy start to life.

In fact, there are several types of health care professionals, who pregnant women could consult. Usually these specialists are called simply “doctor” not to confuse patients. But still you should know that here belong the following health care professionals: obstetricians, family physicians, midwives, and nurse-midwives.

Of course, before you start trying to get pregnant, it's important for each woman to take care of herself, so to speak, to follow preconception health, i.e. to assess health conditions and risk factors, which could possibly influence you and your unborn baby. Very often women should change their lifestyle and some habits, which could harm the baby.

Besides, before getting pregnant you should consult your doctor, who would advise you how to prepare your body. In fact, women should prepare before becoming sexually active. Three months are considered to be the ideal period for preparation.

There are some tips, which you should follow before becoming pregnant:

1) To lower the risk of some defects of the brain and spine, which your baby could be exposed to, you should take every day 400 micrograms of folic acid. It should last at least 3 months. Of course, you could get the acid from foods, but it's practically impossible to get the needed amount of folic acid only from foods. That's why you should take a vitamin with folic acid and feel sure that you are getting enough.

2) If you smoke or drink alcohol constantly, you should immediately quit these habits.

3) It's also important for you to monitor a medical condition if you have any. (For instance, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, obesity, thyroid disease, or epilepsy).

4) While the consultations with your doctor don't forget to tell him about any over-the-counter medicines you are taking in, because some of them could be harmful during the pregnancy.

5) Besides, be sure that you do not contact with chemicals. Toxic substance or materials should be avoided, because their affect is rather negative.