Three Ways to Prepare Your Body for a Healthy Pregnancy

Fertility patients are often curious as to whether it’s possible to “optimize” their body while preparing for a healthy pregnancy during treatment. The good news is, there are steps — most of which are relatively simple lifestyle changes/improvements — women can take in order to ensure a healthier pregnancy. Of course, before moving forward with these steps, women are encouraged to discuss with their physician the desire to optimize their health prior to a pregnancy. A physician can determine which changes are best for your individual health and treatment plan.

In the meantime, many women who are undergoing — or planning to undergo — treatment to conceive can consider the following steps:

• Consider the amount of stress you experience — It’s unlikely that anyone who has ever been told to “just relax” actually found that suggestion helpful, particularly fertility patients trying to conceive. The stress our patients feels is both legitimate and understandable; after all, there’s a lot of planning and coordination involved in just scheduling appointments, let alone the potential for medications, financial concerns, insurance, etc. This being said, patients are advised to try to find methods of genuine stress relief whenever possible in order to improve overall health, which of course translates to an optimal pregnancy. A fertility support group, either in-person or online, is an excellent resource to consider.

• Complete a review of your daily diet/activity — Pending a current health assessment, including your BMI, changes to your diet can have a significant impact on your health. Even making an effort to drink more water (switching from one coffee/tea/soda/juice a day), taking walks on your lunch break or after dinner, riding a bike on the weekends, using a standing desk, etc., can go a long way toward changing how much you move and what you take in each day. Before clients seek to make any substantial changes to their diet or exercise routine, consulting with a physician is advised to ensure this transition is done safely.

• Eliminate harmful products — Tobacco products should be eliminated from your daily routine when trying for a pregnancy and undergoing fertility treatment. There are also many household items that may not be recommended for use during pregnancy, such as certain powerful cleaning products or beauty products that aren’t safe for pregnant women to use. Please consider reviewing the labels on common household items such as those noted earlier, and consult your physician with any questions/concerns.

If you’ve been trying to get pregnant without success, take the first step and consult a trusted fertility specialist or OB/GYN. Set up an appointment with the experts at Washington Fertility Center today.