Lifestyle can have an impact on pregnant women. These include diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and frequency of their exercise. They should take preventive measures to avoid negative effects on infants.
The time when the fetus is most vulnerable to the harmful effects of these substances is during the first trimester of pregnancy. Stopping harmful behavior before pregnancy may reduce or even eliminate the risks of some birth defects that occur early in pregnancy.
Diet
Women that not eating a balanced diet or who have eating disorders like bulimia or anorexia will run the risk of babies with low birth weight, which are vulnerable to disease. Modification of eating an appropriate number of months before pregnancy can reduce this risk.
To protect mom and baby from bacteria or parasitic infection, such as Listeriosis, make sure that all milk, cheese, and juice are pasteurized. Don’t eat meat from the deli counter or hot dogs unless they are thoroughly heated. Also avoid refrigerated, smoked seafood and undercooked meat, poultry, and seafood.
Smoke
Women who smoke are associated with high rates of miscarriages, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, and respiratory difficulty in infants.
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages may retard the development of infants. Fetal alcohol syndrome has been identified as major causes of birth defects. Minimum amount of alcohol that can cause defects are still unknown. Thus, women are advised to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.
Exercise
Exercise can improve strength of the back and abdomen. This practice can help reduce discomfort during pregnancy. Exercise can ease the birth process and maintain overall health.
For the majority of normal pregnancies, exercise can:
- increase energy levels
- improve sleep
- strengthen muscles and endurance
- reduce backaches
- relieve constipation
However, you should consult a doctor before doing any exercise because it can lead to injury.
If you are over 35 years old, you might be concerned about the health of your pregnancy. You may have read or heard a rumor that older women have a higher risk of miscarriage and birth defects. While this is true, pregnant women over age 35 do face increased risk for pregnancy complications; there are plenty of older moms who have perfectly healthy pregnancies.
Receiving prenatal care as soon as you discover that positive home pregnancy test offers an easy way to detect potential complications early on. In some cases, complications and problems can be fixed early on.
Try not to feel too stressed. Enjoy pregnancy while it lasts!
Leave a Reply