Preparing for pregnancy
Before you conceive, it is important that you and your partner weigh if you are ready to feed another person; whether you have the space and are ready to incur all the necessary costs involved.
Once you have decided, Dr Charles Kiggundu, a gynaecologist at Mulago Hospital says you need to consider your health and ensure that there are no health risks that might hinder conception.
Stop your birth control
This may be obvious that you need to stop taking your pills while you plan to conceive but going off hormonal contraception requires a bit more planning.
For many women, fertility returns as soon as they stop using these methods, but some may take a month or so to start ovulating again especially if you are using the injection. You will know ovulation is back to normal when you are getting your period regularly.
Even when you are using a coil or UID, once you have decided you want to become pregnant, go to your doctor to have it removed even before its time elapses.
Do a checkup
“Depending on you or your partner’s health history, it is important that you do a preconception checkup to determine if you are at an increased risk for passing on a genetic disorder, such as cystic fibrosis, Fragile X syndrome, or sickle cell disease,” says Dr Kiggundu.
If you have hypertension, the tests are vital. Also during the tests, you may be found to have anaemia and other deficiencies.
He says, “Women who are planning to conceive need to supplement their diets with iron and folic acid for about a month before they conceive to help increase the amount of blood in their bodies and protect the baby from neurological deformities.”
Mental health
You need to be mentally well. Women who suffer from depression and stress are more likely to have fertility problems. He says, “If someone is depressed, she can barely take care of herself, much less a baby. It is even hard to get pregnant when you are depressed. If you have signs of depression, such as a loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy or feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, you need to address your mental health.”
Stop drinking
If you often engage in binge drinking, smoking and drugs, you need to get off all these as you prepare to bring a new life into the world.
Smoking, drinking and taking drugs can lead to miscarriage, premature birth and low-birth-weight. Some drugs can stay in your body system even after their noticeable effects have worn off.
