But, preparing for a pregnancy should start long before conception. While balanced nutrition, regular exercise and a healthy weight range should be a priority for all women, this advice takes on new importance for women who wish to become, or have recently become, mothers.
Good nutrition helps a woman's body prepare for motherhood.
The complex processes that occur during pregnancy and lactation require a rich supply of protein, vitamins and minerals for both mother and child. If the mother's body has built stores of nutrients over months and years before conception, the added demands of pregnancy and lactation can be met with modest adjustments to mother's diet. If, however, nutrient stores are low at the start of pregnancy, women run a greater risk of nutrition-related problems such as anemia or pregnancy difficulties. Pre-pregnancy weight range is an important factor in a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy. Women who enter pregnancy with weights at or near the normal range tend to have easier pregnancies and healthier babies.