I don’t want to get pregnant yet but maybe next year—what can we do now to prepare

Adopting a healthy lifestyle and improving your general well-being are sensible measures if you are planning a pregnancy. Start by looking at your diet (see above). Is it well balanced? Could you cut back on the amount of salt, sugar, and fast or processed food you eat? You should also increase your intake of fruit and getables, particularly green leafy vegetables, which are a good source of folic acid. Exercise is important too. If you have a current exercise regimen it’s safe to continue with that, or do gentle exercise, such as swimming or walking, which are ideal before, during, and after pregnancy If you smoke, you should try to quit, since this

is beneficial for your general health and, more specifically, reduces the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death. Likewise, you should try cutting down on or stopping your alcohol intake. The best advice is to avoid drinking alcohol completely even while trying to get pregnant. You should, of course, refrain from drinking alcohol once you are pregnant, since safe levels of alcohol intake are difficult to determine. Checking your rubella status is a sensible measure since rubella can cause fetal ormalities if you aren’t immune and contract the infection in the first three months of pregnancy. If your immunity is diminished, you may be given a vaccine and should then wait three months before trying to get pregnant. If you have a preexisting medical condition or are taking medication, talk to your health-care practitioner about how these may affect a pregnancy. Once you start trying to get pregnant, make a note each month of the first day of your period since this is one question your midwife or doctor will ask to determine your estimated due date