Simple and Helpful Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy is rather a difficult time in woman's life as it does a lot to the body and vice versa. Due to the lack of awareness, women often experience miscarriages during the initial years of marriage. A birth defect is another prevailing issue that is caused due to a number of factors such as exposure to certain drugs and chemicals, infections during pregnancy and genetics.

Statistics

•    Nearly 1, 50,000 babies are born with birth defects every year
•    Infant mortality is mainly due to birth defects and low birth weight(LBW)
•    25% of all pregnant women smoke during pregnancy
•    10% of infant mortality and 25% of LBW can be reduced by eliminating smoking during pregnancy
•    Fetal alcohol syndrome is caused due to excessive alcohol consumption throughout the pregnancy period. 1-3% infants per 1000 born to women who drink alcohol suffer from FAS
•    About 7, 40, 000 women use one or more illicit drugs during pregnancy owing to abortions

By taking a little care, all the problems associated with pregnancy can be surmounted in no time. Here is a list of precautions one must take during pregnancy.

Say No To The Following

•    Heavy exercise
•    Tight pants and high heels, wear comfortable footwear

photo courtesy: Pinterest

•    Alcohol
•    Smoking
•    Weed
•    Other Psychoactive drugs

photo courtesy: Wikihow

•    Lifting heavy objects
•    Late night parties
•    Sleeping on stomach
•    Eating less for the fear of gaining weight

Drugs To Avoid During Pregnancy

photo courtesy: iyhealth

•   Over the counter drugs like
•   Aspirin
•   Ibuprofen
•   Advil
•   Paracetamol should be avoided especially during the third trimester
•   Lexapro               
•   Tetracyclines cause teratogenicity and birth defects
•   Accutane
•   Depakote

                                   

Food Items To Avoid 

photo courtesy: best-sante

•    Raw/ undercooked meat and fish
•    Unpasteurized milk and juices
•    Soft Cheeses
•    Unwashed fruits and vegetables
•    Fruits like papaya, black grapes, and pineapple
•    Veggies like cabbage, lettuce, and eggplant
•    Restaurant food
•    Excess caffeine
•    Fatty, sugar rich, nitrogen-rich food
•    Frozen/ canned food

Symptoms That Should Not Be Ignored During Pregnancy

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•    Bleeding
•    Pain in the abdomen
•    Itching  that does not go away
•    Chronic backache
•    Swollen limbs and face
•    Flu and cold
•    Heavy vaginal discharge

DO’S

photo courtesy: livescience

•    Take vitamin supplements during the first trimester
•    Eat and sleep well
•    Stick to a particular diet and schedule
•    Drink sufficient water
•    Take HIV test
•    Check your and baby blood group and make sure there is no chance for hemolytic disorder of the newborn
•    Walk every day for a minimum of 10 minutes
•    Wear comfortable clothes( maternity clothes)
•    Visit doctor at appointed times without fail and take all the necessary tests
•    Prepare yourself mentally for the labour pain

To sum up, stay healthy in every which way possible and don't mind nausea and vomiting during the first trimester as it subsides within a month. A lot of stuff is written on the internet about pregnancy which is sometimes freaky so, better not believe everything.



Written by
Indu Mithra Madhuranthakam