• 10 Pregnancy Do's
• 10 Pregnancy Don'ts

10 Pregnancy Do's

1. Eat a healthy diet before and during pregnancy. Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. Choose lean foods like chicken, skim milk and avoid eating fatty foods like butter and fatty meat. Expectant mothers need about 300 additional calories per day.
2. Take a multivitamin that contains folic acid daily before and during pregnancy. 400 microgram (.04 mg) of folate (or folic acid) reduces the chance of neural tube defects (NTD) or defects of the brain and spinal cord like spina bifida "open spine." Folate-rich foods include dried beans, oranges, orange juice, and leafy green vegetables.
3. Take Calcium daily. 1000 mg of calcium daily will help your baby develop strong and healthy bones and teeth and will decrease your risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture later in life. Calcium-rich foods include yogurt, milk, cheese, broccoli, tofu, and beans.
4. Gain healthy weight. According to the pregnancy weight gain guidelines from the Institute of Medicine, if before pregnancy you are:
   • underweight, gain 28-40 pounds
   • normal weight, gain 25-35 pounds or 1-2 pounds/week
   • overweight, gain 15-25 pounds
   • obese, gain 15 pounds
5. Get Exercise. Regular, low-impact exercises such as walking and swimming are good for you and your baby. Talk to your doctor about what is safe.
6. Ask your doctor before taking any medicine. Prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medicine may harm your baby. Ask your doctor if you should continue taking prescription medicines.
7. Stop smoking and stop taking drugs or consuming alcohol. Discuss openly with your obstetrical provider.
8. See your doctor regularly. Prenatal care can help keep you and your baby healthy by detecting problems and prevent pregnancy complications. If you have any preexisting medical problems, discuss them with your provider. A plan can be made to decrease the risk of pregnancy complications.
9. Consider getting a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests vaccinations for all women pregnant in the 2nd and 3rd trimester during the flu season. Consult your health care provider.
10. Consider genetic counseling and testing if you are over the age of 35:
    Women 35 years and older at delivery have higher risk of giving birth to babies with Down Syndrome and other disorders
    • Genetic counselors review your history and advise you about the risks and benefits of genetic testing to help you decide on your options.
    • Genetic tests include amniocentesis, traditionally performed at 15-20 weeks or early at 12-14 weeks and chorionic villus sampling at 10-12 weeks.
    • While you are at higher risk, if you are healthy and have no medical problems, you most likely will have a normal pregnancy, labor and birth, and healthy baby.