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Baby's Early Days
First Trimester Growth
By Heather Larson
Many women may not realize it, but the best time to make lifestyle changes to help ensure a healthy pregnancy and a well-developed baby is prior to conceiving.
"Ideally, women should discuss their health and medical situation with a health care provider before pregnancy," says Dr. Susan Bathgate, assistant professor of maternal-fetal medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. "This is important because many women don't realize they are pregnant until about five or six weeks after they have missed a period, and then some important development has already taken place."
Prior to and when you're pregnant, health care providers suggest you exercise in moderation. Now is not the time to take on any dangerous or unique new exercise, says Dr. Spencer Richlin, staff physician and specialist in reproductive endocrinology at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut.
Eat healthy and include omega 3 fatty acids and folic acid in your diet. Taking vitamins containing folic acid for three months prior to getting pregnant dramatically reduces the risk of having a baby with spina bifida or other open spinal cord defects. Health care also should include a pap smear and vaccinations to prevent infections that can affect pregnancy.
In addition, avoiding alcohol, recreational drugs and tobacco during pregnancy and even before can reduce the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome and birth defects, says Dr. Robert Snyder, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Federal Way, Wash. "In fact, we try to limit exposure to all medications, even over-the-counter ones, and recommend that women not get their hair colored or permed to avoid exposure [to harmful chemicals] during this critical time," he says.
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