Are you thinking about becoming pregnant? Before you plan that romantic evening, you may want to put your plans on hold. Six months could be all you need to ensure that you (and your partner) can be in optimal health.

According to Dr. F. Sessions Cole, director of the division of newborn medicine at St. Louis Children's Hospital and instructor of neurology and pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., the most important time in a pregnancy is the first four to eight weeks when most of your baby's vital organs are forming. "To wait to stop smoking or drinking, taking prescription medications or adding nutrients to your diet until you find out you're pregnant means you're weeks or months late," he says.

Six months might be just what you need to get your body prepared for a healthy conception. In fact, by the time you're ready to conceive, you'll wonder why you waited so long to feel this good!

"It's always good to have a thorough physical and check with your doctor prior to becoming pregnant," says Megan Steelman, B.A., A.C.C.E., author of Thinking Pregnant: Conceiving Your New Life with a Baby (New Harbinger, 2001). A full checkup will either result in a clean bill of health or reveal some things you will want to work on before conception.

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