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Preparing
Yourself For Midlife Pregnancy
©Jan Andersen 2002
Unless
you find yourself unexpectedly pregnant, not many women over the age of 40
contemplate having a baby without a lot of forethought and consideration.
There are many issues that may be of more concern to the older mother, such as
increased risks of having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities, or the
increased chances of having problems during the pregnancy. However, many women
in their forties have wonderful pregnancies without any complications and go
on to deliver perfectly normal, healthy babies, whereas other, much younger
mothers can experience difficulties, so age is not the sole pre-determining
factor in the success of a pregnancy.
Pre-Conception
Health
If
you are simply considering midlife pregnancy, or have already decided to go
ahead and try for a baby, what steps should you take to ensure that your body
is in prime condition to nurture a fertilised egg?
If
I had give just one piece of advice to women, it would be to take a
Folic Acid
supplement, ideally for three months prior to attempting conception and up to
the twelfth week of pregnancy. The importance of taking Folic Acid cannot be
stressed enough because research has shown that it can reduce the risk of
neural tube defects, such as Spina Bifida. In the ideal world, we would obtain
enough Folic Acid through a diet rich in leafy vegetables, but even the
fittest women aren't obtaining sufficient amounts of essential nutrients from
their regular diets because pollution, extensive food handling and processing
can reduce the vitamin levels in even the healthiest foods, including organic
produce.
Zinc
is another good supplement to take, since inadequate levels of zinc have been
linked to infertility. However, if you have a relatively healthy diet that
incorporates a generous mix of all the essential nutrients, particularly foods
rich in iron, you should not need to take any other additional supplements
other than Folic Acid. Your blood count will be monitored during pregnancy
and if your doctor or consultant feels that you are becoming anaemic, only
then will you be advised to take an iron supplement.
Whilst
society tends to focus on the problems involved with being overweight, women
who are underweight may have difficulty conceiving, since their bodies are
telling them that they are not in the most favourable condition to nurture a
baby. Unfortunately, since the media continues to propagate the idea that in
order to be a valid member of society you have to be emaciated, so many women
are beneath their ideal weight. If you are planning a baby, it is not the
time to also be thinking about a slimming diet, unless your doctor has told
you that you need to lose weight for your own safety. Therefore, eating three
well-balanced meals a day should help to prime your body for the most
important task that it will ever perform.
Smoking
Although I may be stating the obvious when I talk about the dangers of smoking, it still amazes me how many pregnant women I see lighting up with complete disregard for the precious life growing inside them. Problems associated with smoking begin before conception. In general men and women who smoke have a significantly lower fertility rate than non-smokers. In men, sperm density is decreased and the level of abnormal sperm produced is increased, so it is important for both partners to give up smoking before trying for a baby.
During
pregnancy, every puff that you take on a cigarette reduces the oxygen supply
to the baby and has detrimental effect on the function of the placenta and
umbilical cord, in addition to exposing the baby's tiny body to toxic
substances such as carbon monoxide and nicotine.
The
numerous risks associated with smoking are as follows:
Low birthweight babies
Ectopic Pregnancy
Miscarriage
Premature birth
Neonatal Death
Stillbirth
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
(and this applies to parents who expose their babies to cigarette smoke after
birth)
Alcohol,
Caffeine, Over-The-Counter Drugs and Natural Remedies
Cutting down on the amount of alcohol, caffeine and other seemingly innocent drugs such as painkillers, antihistamines and even cold cures is advisable if you are trying for a baby. This is because evidenced suggests some drugs not only reduce your fertility, such as alcohol, antihistamines and large quantities of caffeine for example, but since it is usually at least a couple of weeks before a woman discovers that she is pregnant, there is the danger that these drugs could be circulating your system when you have already conceived.
Evidence
suggests that even low amounts of alcohol can affect the baby and are
associated with premature birth, low birth weight and labour complications.
Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption (between 3 and 6 ounces a day) can cause
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The results of this are retarded growth, mental
retardation and hyperactivity. There are no clearly defined guidelines for
safe levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, so the advice that many
experts now give is not to drink any alcohol at all during pregnancy.
Just because a remedy is labeled as "natural" does not mean that it is safe. Certain aromatherapy oils for example should never be used during pregnancy and some herbal remedies and vitamins can be equally as dangerous, especially if taken in large doses. Vitamins A and D are stored in the body and these supplements should never be taken during pregnancy. Liver should also be avoided, since this contains very high levels of Vitamin A that could be harmful to your developing baby.
Exercise
Pregnancy
is not the best time to embark on a new exercise regime, since it can put an
additional strain on your body and you may end up doing more harm to yourself
than good. However, ensuring that your body is in tip top shape before you
attempt to conceive is a good idea, although this does not mean that you have
to engage in gruelling gym sessions or an arduous aerobic workout. Gentle,
regular exercise is enough. Low impact exercise such as brisk walking,
swimming, cycling or stretching exercises can help to prime your body for the
responsibility of carrying a baby and put a lot less strain on your joints
than more strenuous exercise programs.
Even
if you are physically fit before you plan a family, once you become pregnant
it is still advisable to modify your routine because of the changes that are
taking place in your body. In addition, it is recommended that a pregnant
woman's heart rate should remain below 150 beats per minute when exercising.
Conclusion
Pregnancy
is a risk at any age and there are never any guarantees that all will be well.
However, the chances of having a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby are
still relatively high and making sure that your body is in the best possible
condition to nurture a growing fetus will enhance your chances of a happy
outcome.
Jan Andersen is a British Freelance Writer and
the creator of three websites: Mothers Over 40 (www.mothersover40.com),
an inspirational and |
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