Your Pregnancy Preparation Plan

By Prof Muhammad Abdul Jamil Mohd Yassin (Senior Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist and Exco Member of the Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Malaysia), Nutritionist Assoc Prof Dr Poh Bee Koon (Nutritionist & Honorary Secretary of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia), Dr Musa Nordin (Consultant Neonatologist & Treasurer of the Malaysian Paediatric Association)

If you are planning to start a family (whether it’s soon or in a few years’ time), you would do well to assess your lifestyle and begin getting in shape for pregnancy.Your current health status and lifestyle greatly influence your likelihood of experiencing problems during pregnancy and birth, as well as baby’s chances of being born healthy and normal. Here are some critical areas that belong in every good pregnancy preparation plan:

Don’t Wait Too Long

• Women are most fertile between the ages of 20 to 24.
• It is best to have your baby before the age of 30.
• Having a baby after the age of 35 increases the risk of health problems eg pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), gestational diabetes (which occurs only during pregnancy) and placenta previa (a condition where the placenta is attached too low to the uterine wall, placing both mother and baby at higher risk of serious bleeding).
• Babies born to mothers over age 35 have a higher risk of Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities.
• It is still possible to have a normal, healthy child if you are over age 35 but you will need a higher level of medical care.

Achieve Healthy Body Weight

• It is important to have a healthy body weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) before getting pregnant.
• If you are currently underweight (BMI below 18.5), you risk giving birth to a baby who has low birth weight and high chances of facing health complications during labour, delivery and after being born.
• If you are overweight (BMI more than 24.9) and obese (BMI of 30 or more) when you conceive, you are more likely to develop a number of diseases during pregnancy including high blood pressure and diabetes.
• High blood pressure during pregnancy is linked to foetal growth restriction resulting in underweight babies.
• Diabetes during pregnancy could cause baby to be born larger than normal, with increased risk of abnormalities of the spinal cord and heart.
• Start practising healthy eating habits and lead an active lifestyle to achieve healthy body weight.

Start Eating For Pregnancy

• Good nutrition helps you build adequate maternal stores for pregnancy.
• If you’ve been eating unhealthily, it is time for a switch.
• The foods you eat should consist mostly of carbohydrate-rich food (cereals such as rice, cereal products such as noodles and pasta, and tubers), more fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of protein (meat, fish, poultry, legumes such as soy beans) and milk and dairy products, and minimal amounts of fats, oils, sugar and salt.
• Eat a wide variety of food eg different types of carbohydrate foods (eg rice, noodles, bread), all kinds of vegetables (leafy vegetables, colourful vegetables, root vegetables), different types of protein-rich foods (eg eggs, meat, fish, poultry), milk and dairy products.
• Eat foods that are nutritious, particularly those that are rich in iron and folic acid, as these micronutrients will help put you and baby in better stead.
• Lack of iron during pregnancy could lead to iron deficiency anaemia in the mother and even trigger miscarriages. Iron-rich foods include liver, lean meat, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, dried beans (eg dhall, kidney beans), soya bean products and dried fruits.
• Folic acid plays a role in making new blood cells. The lack of folic acid in your body can lead to neural tube defects (eg spina bifida and anencephaly) in your baby. This micronutrient can be found in green leafy vegetables, dark yellow fruits and vegetables, liver, legumes, nuts and processed food (eg breakfast cereals) that are fortified with the vitamin.

Stay Fit!

• Regular physical activity helps you maintain healthy body weight while improving your strength, level of fitness and flexibility
• Don’t wait until you are pregnant to start getting active. Staying fit now will help keep up your energy levels and reduce your physical discomfort (eg from backaches) when you are pregnant.