Doctors have seen a high incidence of inflated blood pressure and development of diabetes during pregnancy in women who are overweight. And studies show that women who are underweight both before conception and during pregnancy tend to deliver low birth weight babies. Healthy Dads Eating healthy isn't just for prospective mothers. Research shows that poor eating habits and drug consumption can reduce male potency. Genetic Counseling Identifying diseases associated with genetics is best done before a woman becomes pregnant, making preconception planning extremely important.
Couples planning to have a child can seek a genetic evaluation.
We can identify carriers of a trait such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, or thalassamia and then discuss the risks and options for those couples. Pregnant women who contract these viruses are at risk of delivering a baby who can be damaged by the infection. This can be easily prevented by vaccination well before conception. Begin taking 400 mcg of Folic acid during your childbearing years. Begin working towards your optimal weight 3 months to 1 year before conception.