| plan
for your pregnancy |
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*
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Plan your pregnancy
so that you and your partner
are in good health and prepared for having a child. |
|
*
|
Make sure you use
your birth control correctly. |
|
*
|
Know that you can
get pregnant if you
forget or skip a birth control pill. |
|
|
*
|
Antibiotics and
other medications can interfere
with the effectiveness of your birth control pill. |
|
*
|
All women should
take a multivitamin with 400
micrograms of folic acid every day. It can help prevent
birth defects and may help protect you from heart disease. |
| aim
for a healthy weight |
|
|
Women
who are
underweight or
overweight when
they get pregnant are
more likely to have a
baby born too early. |
|
*
|
Overweight women
are more likely to experience
more problems during pregnancy and labor. |
| eat
healthy foods |
|
|
*
|
Eat at least five
servings of fruits
and vegetables every day. |
|
*
|
Limit sweets, fats,
salt and soda. Pay attention
to serving sizes so you do not eat too much. |
|
*
|
Eat iron-rich
foods like leafy green vegetables. |
|
*
|
Enjoy foods high
in Vitamin C like oranges,
grapefruit, strawberries, tomatoes, green
peppers, broccoli, cabbage and cantaloupe. |
|
|
| prevent
and treat infections |
|
*
|
Infections such
as periodontal
(gum) disease may
contribute to
preterm (too -
early) labor. |
|
|
*
|
Brush your teeth
at least two times
a day and floss |
| |
once a day. See a dentist
at least once a year to
have your teeth cleaned and gums examined. |
|
*
|
Sexually transmitted infections
can cause a woman to have problems getting pregnant or
cause preterm (too-early) labor once pregnant. |
| avoid
harmful substances |
|
|
*
|
A pregnant woman never takes
risks alone. |
 |
If there’s
a chance
you might be
pregnant, do not
drink alcohol or
take drugs. |
|
*
|
No amount of alcohol is safe during
pregnancy. |
|
*
|
Abuse of prescription and illegal drugs
is not good for you or your baby. |
|
*
|
Tobacco use during pregnancy deprives
your
baby of the oxygen needed to develop properly. Your
baby is twice as likely to be born with a low birthweight. |
|
