A child is the most valuable and dear person for any parent. It is especially important for the mother that her baby be healthy and strong. Even without being pregnant, a woman at a subconscious level is already ready to protect her child.
The maternal instinct laid down by nature is further strengthened and aggravated when a woman finds out about impending motherhood.
From this moment, the only thing that occupies all the thoughts of a future mother is the question “How to give birth to a healthy baby?” Unfortunately, many potential parents understand the responsibility placed on their shoulders only when they learn about pregnancy.
In order to give birth to a baby healthy in all respects, it is necessary to take care, first of all, of your health. This applies not only to the mother, but also to the father of the unborn child.
And you should begin to monitor the condition of your body and maintain it in the right form long before conception.
If you think over and plan your pregnancy in advance and undergo the necessary medical examination, you can avoid many serious diseases, as well as congenital pathologies in a tiny man. After all, most of these ailments can be prevented even in the early stages of pregnancy, knowing the causes of their occurrence.
Planned pregnancy has long been practiced in many developed countries. So a married couple in advance worries about the health and safety of a new family member, having passed a series of medical procedures and started to lead a healthy lifestyle.
What tests do you need to go through before pregnancy?
So, if the spouses are ready to become parents, then they need to seriously take care of their health in order to prevent future diseases in the baby.
- First of all, the expectant mother should contact a gynecologist who will assess her physical condition and the ability to endure and give birth to a healthy baby.
- It will be useful if both the husband and the wife turn to the geneticist. Through a survey, you can assess the overall health of the couple and their heredity.
- You may need advice from other specialists – a cardiologist, neurologist, optometrist, and general practitioner.
- It is recommended that the expectant mother visit the gynecologist’s office more often, which will conduct a thorough examination of the patient to identify possible deviations in the development of the genital organs. In addition, to check for oncological diseases, it is necessary to examine the mammary glands and the thyroid, pass a smear for cytology, and in doubtful cases, pass a few more tests.
- In addition to the usual examination, the woman also undergoes an ultrasound scan (ultrasound examination), which is recommended to be done after critical days – this is the first phase of the menstrual cycle – for more reliable data.
What should I look for during pregnancy?
Upon learning of pregnancy, spouses often panic, because they understand the importance and significance of the changes. How to give birth to a healthy baby? How will the birth go? What problems may arise? How will the pregnancy proceed? This is only part of the questions young parents will look for answers to.
Visit to a gynecologist throughout pregnancy. He will monitor the state of health of the mother and fetal development. The doctor directs his patient to a series of studies and analyzes. Ultrasound is mandatory at 11 – 12 and 20 – 22 weeks of pregnancy. Before 10 weeks, it is necessary to take tests for the detection and treatment of viral infections, such as rubella, herpes, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus. And at 16 – 20 weeks, a study is conducted to determine the level of proteins of chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein.
All these medical procedures help to identify infections, defects and abnormalities in the development of pregnancy in the early stages, when you can still do something.
The opportunity to resort to intrauterine treatment will help get rid of many diseases during pregnancy so that a woman can give birth to a healthy baby.
- during this period, special attention should be paid to the physical and emotional state of the expectant mother. Positive thoughts, healthy sleep and the absence of strong physical exertion contribute to the harmonious and proper development of the fetus. A woman can watch good positive films about pregnancy and childbirth. A woman needs to be surrounded with care and warmth so that she enjoys the fact that a new life is emerging in her. Then the birth will pass without complications;
- A balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle will provide the baby with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients through the umbilical cord. Taking medications must be agreed with your doctor. Many drugs are strictly prohibited during pregnancy and lactation;
- at this time, a woman should protect her body from colds and other diseases, because they can cause complications and affect the condition of the fetus;
- when planning a pregnancy, you should abandon bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs) about six months before conception. During this time, the body will be cleaned of nicotine and other harmful elements and completely restored;
- physical activity should be in moderation. Overfatigue should be avoided, but no need to switch to a less mobile lifestyle. Hiking in the fresh air and a set of exercises designed specifically for pregnant women will help prepare the female body for childbirth.
Maternal infections and diseases affecting fetal development
Many diseases can occur in a woman’s body in a latent form, that is, asymptomatic. Some of them can cause a miscarriage or pathology in the development of the baby. Infection carriers can be either male or female. Microorganisms and viruses that can affect the condition of the fetus are the definitive causative agents of infections.
However, future mothers with infectious diseases can give birth to a completely healthy baby. Not always detected microorganisms affect the development of pathologies in a tiny creature.
How to give birth to a healthy baby if a medical examination indicates the presence of infection in the body? This is possible if the disease is diagnosed in time and the correct treatment is prescribed.
The most common pathogens of infections are:
Viruses
Herpes is the least dangerous viral infection, which has a low probability of infection of the fetus and a minimum percentage of the development of any deviations in the child. However, an exacerbation of the virus after 32 weeks of pregnancy can lead to a cesarean section, since during natural childbirth, the baby can contract herpes through the birth canal.
Cytomegalovirus is an infection that is transmitted both sexually and by airborne droplets. This disease is most dangerous if a woman first gets infected during pregnancy from a person with an acute form of infection. The virus has the ability to freely penetrate the placenta and can damage the fetus, because in the mother’s body there are no necessary antibodies that would prevent infection of the baby.
In the early stages of pregnancy, the cytomegalovirus can provoke a spontaneous miscarriage or the development of abnormalities in the baby. At a later date, this infection causes premature birth, contributes to the occurrence of polyhydramnios and serious newborn pathologies.
Rubella is one of the most dangerous types of infectious diseases. This virus is almost always transmitted to the fetus and is the cause of many complications. Rubella acquired during pregnancy causes heart disease, deafness, cataracts, physical underdevelopment, pneumonia, and a violation of the baby’s circulatory system.
The expectant mother should in every possible way avoid contact with rubella patients throughout pregnancy, and especially in the first trimester, when the formation of congenital pathologies of the fetus is most likely. A previous vaccination or rubella suffered in childhood will affect the strengthening of the mother’s immunity. The woman’s body in this case will not allow the spread of infection and its penetration through the placenta.
Influenza. The flu virus itself is not a danger to the mother and baby. However, possible complications on the immune and cardiovascular systems, as well as on the kidneys, can provoke threats of miscarriage and premature birth. After the flu, the weakened female body can catch a staphylococcal or pneumococcal infection. In the early stages of pregnancy, a woman is recommended in every way to increase immunity and eat well. Until 12 weeks, all important organs are formed and develop in the child, so it is important not to let the infection affect this process.
Bacteria, protozoa and fungi
Toxoplasmosis is the most dangerous bacterial infection for the health of the mother and her baby. Very often, infection with this disease occurs through contact with a cat or infected meat. If a woman has had this infection before pregnancy, then in her body throughout her life there are antibodies that fight the disease.
Other infections. Mycoplasmosis, thrush (candidiasis), gardenenosis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and listeriosis. These diseases are also dangerous for a pregnant woman and her child, but with timely detection, they are treated.
Thus, following the doctor’s recommendations, avoiding stress and physical exertion, and also trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, you can endure a healthy baby who will delight parents with his achievements in the future.
