Planning a pregnancy? Things to do before you conceive
Most women know they need to care for their health during pregnancy - but did
you know you can protect the health of your baby before you conceive? Eating the
right food before - as well as during - pregnancy, for instance, can help prevent
some birth defects. So can making sure you’re immune to rubella (German measles),
a common disease which can cause serious problems to unborn babies. If
you use tobacco, alcohol or other non-prescription drugs, give them up when
you’re planning to conceive rather than wait until you’re certain you’re pregnant.
By that time the baby may be six weeks old or more - time enough to have been
exposed to these drugs.
What you should know about rubella (German measles)
Rubella is an infectious disease which can cause serious birth defects in unborn
babies if the mother becomes infected. Around 90 per cent of babies whose mothers
contract rubella during the first eight to ten weeks of pregnancy will be seriously
affected. The baby’s hearing, sight and brain can be harmed, and the risk of
miscarriage and stillbirth is increased.
Making sure you’re immune to rubella before you become pregnant is really important.
A simple blood test can tell if you have immunity. If you don’t, you can be immunised
against the disease - but this must be done before pregnancy. If you’re a
woman of childbearing age and you haven’t been immunised yet, please ask your
doctor for the vaccine well before you consider becoming pregnant. When you
have your baby, it is recommended that you arrange for the baby to be immunised
for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at 12 months. This is followed by a second
injection of MMR at the age of four.
What you should know about whooping cough
Whooping cough is a highly infectious disease spread by coughing or sneezing.
Epidemics occur every three to four years and babies can become infected and
die before they are old enough to be vaccinated (at 8 weeks of age). It is important
that you and your husband are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping
cough well before you consider becoming pregnant. Please ask your doctor for
an adult whooping cough vaccine (Boostrix).
Good food for a healthy pregnancy
Are you eating plenty of leafy green vegetables, oranges, orange juice (especially
freshly squeezed juice), wholegrain breads, rice, pasta or other cereals, and
cooked dried peas, beans or lentils? Bananas and nuts are also good. These all
contain an important B vitamin for women called folate. Doctors now know that
lack of this vitamin contributes to serious birth defects called neural tube defects
which, each year, affect thousands of babies worldwide. Lack of folate is thought
to affect the baby’s development, causing serious (sometimes fatal) brain and
spine problems. Any woman planning a pregnancy should eat folate-rich foods
and take a 0.5mg folic acid tablet daily for at least one month before pregnancy,
Most women know they need to care for their health during pregnancy - but did
you know you can protect the health of your baby before you conceive? Eating the
right food before - as well as during - pregnancy, for instance, can help prevent
some birth defects. So can making sure you’re immune to rubella (German measles),
a common disease which can cause serious problems to unborn babies. If
you use tobacco, alcohol or other non-prescription drugs, give them up when
you’re planning to conceive rather than wait until you’re certain you’re pregnant.
By that time the baby may be six weeks old or more - time enough to have been
exposed to these drugs.
What you should know about rubella (German measles)
Rubella is an infectious disease which can cause serious birth defects in unborn
babies if the mother becomes infected. Around 90 per cent of babies whose mothers
contract rubella during the first eight to ten weeks of pregnancy will be seriously
affected. The baby’s hearing, sight and brain can be harmed, and the risk of
miscarriage and stillbirth is increased.
Making sure you’re immune to rubella before you become pregnant is really important.
A simple blood test can tell if you have immunity. If you don’t, you can be immunised
against the disease - but this must be done before pregnancy. If you’re a
woman of childbearing age and you haven’t been immunised yet, please ask your
doctor for the vaccine well before you consider becoming pregnant. When you
have your baby, it is recommended that you arrange for the baby to be immunised
for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at 12 months. This is followed by a second
injection of MMR at the age of four.
What you should know about whooping cough
Whooping cough is a highly infectious disease spread by coughing or sneezing.
Epidemics occur every three to four years and babies can become infected and
die before they are old enough to be vaccinated (at 8 weeks of age). It is important
that you and your husband are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping
cough well before you consider becoming pregnant. Please ask your doctor for
an adult whooping cough vaccine (Boostrix).
Good food for a healthy pregnancy
Are you eating plenty of leafy green vegetables, oranges, orange juice (especially
freshly squeezed juice), wholegrain breads, rice, pasta or other cereals, and
cooked dried peas, beans or lentils? Bananas and nuts are also good. These all
contain an important B vitamin for women called folate. Doctors now know that
lack of this vitamin contributes to serious birth defects called neural tube defects
which, each year, affect thousands of babies worldwide. Lack of folate is thought
to affect the baby’s development, causing serious (sometimes fatal) brain and
spine problems. Any woman planning a pregnancy should eat folate-rich foods
and take a 0.5mg folic acid tablet daily for at least one month before pregnancy,
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