Getting Healthy A Requirement To Getting Pregnant. Here's More

The pregnancy mode gets you into a plethora of things – right from eating well to obsessively taking care of yourself. But there are more things you need to do to keep yourself well even before you conceive. In fact, you need to be in good health before you get pregnant. The preconception health is now a recommended norm to both parents which goes beyond just staying fit or eating healthy. It involves sound emotional health and moral support too among other things.

While women should not have problems with obesity, blood pressure or other obesity-related problems, there are other factors that women must stay away from. Stress, anxiety, apart from the horrific experiences of domestic violence are not healthy ways to a happy pregnancy or a healthy child. Nor can these conditions be curbed with the belief that you will bring them into control as you are in your pregnancy. It has been underscored by an NHS chief that victims of domestic violence and obesity should not have children until their problems are tackled first. In his report for the largest health board in Scotland, Dr. Jonathan Sher says that alcohol and drug abusers should also not be preempted from preconception care to help deliver healthy babies to parents who were keenly prepared to take care of them.

A preconception checklist for pharmacists, health professionals, and community workers stems out of his study for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The checklist will be used to warn soon-to-be parents to stay out of harmful behavior before conceiving. The checklist would make it easier those couples planning to have children review their prerequisites to a healthy pregnancy because it would take account of the overall mental and physical health as well. Dr. Sher believes that preconception health is essential for a “transformational improvement” in birth outcomes and pregnancy.

The checklist emphasizes on established Dos and Dont’s that recommend what one must start, or consider to do or stop ahead of conceiving. The final stage of preparing to conceive need only last for a few months before conception.

Smoking, drinking alcohol, and illegal or highly stressful or abusive relationship and sexually transmitted diseases have been ruled out before pregnancy.

Dr. Sher also believes that the checklist should gain more visibility as posters or Irn-Bru adverts and football league tables in Scotland. He says that ideally a woman can either conceive or avoid pregnancy. But the interim stage of preparing oneself for pregnancy is overlooked in policy or professional practice apart from the individual thought applied to it, especially as in Scotland. He also believes that prospective fathers and mothers must also keep out of “naming, shaming and blaming” as it is not only unkind but is also ineffective. Both the partners must be up for support and compassion.

The report was endorsed by Professor John Frank, Chairman, Public Health Research and Policy at the Edinburgh University. He says the report “hit the bullseye” and if implemented is bound to “improve, health, social and economic outcomes.”

The report, however, hasn’t been hailed by Neil McKeganey of the Centre for Drug Misuse Research as substantive enough to tackle the problems in pregnancy and family life that are related to drug or alcohol abuse. Moreover, Prof. McKeganey thought that Dr. Sher’s recommendations would-would meet with howls of protest from those who believe that it would interfere with family life.

But for those who want to have a healthy baby with a secure health in its future, it’s likely that most would love to conform with the checklist!

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