The decision to start a family requires planning. It calls for many healthy lifestyle changes in the couple’s life. A study suggests that the current birth rate for India is 16.949 births per 1000 people. Regular health checkups and financial planning is necessary. These regular checkups help determine the couple’s reproductive health and ensure they prepare for healthy pregnancy. This article aims to guide a couple in all the aspects of preparing for a healthy pregnancy. It covers topics like fertility, preconception health, and changes in lifestyle during pregnancy.
The Menstrual Cycle: First Step Towards Parenthood
Understanding the monthly occurring cycle, the menstrual cycle plays a major role in preparation for pregnancy. It gives an understanding of hormones and the period of release of the ovum from the ovary. This section will cover the phases in the cycle and how to track your fertility.
Phases in Menstrual Cycle
Typically, three menstrual cycle phases play an important role in fertility. They are-
- Follicular Phase – This is the starting phase of your menstrual cycle. FSH (Follicular Stimulating Hormone) gets released and signals to prepare the follicles containing an immature egg. These follicles then produce estrogen hormone when they grow, which signals the uterus to thicken its lining to prepare for a potential implantation.
- Ovulatory Phase – Luteinizing Hormone (LH) then signals one of the follicles to release the mature egg. This phase of releasing the egg is called ovulation. This is the most important time for a couple trying to conceive, as this is the most fertile time. It typically comes around the 14th day of the 28-day cycle.
- Luteal Phase – If the egg is fertilized at the ovulatory phase, the egg will then grow and move towards the uterine wall. The uterine wall is sustained when the corpus luteum (made from an empty follicle) releases progesterone hormone. The egg is then attached to the uterine wall and starts growing. The first phase is the formation of the embryo, then the fetus.
To make this work, a couple must track the fertility or ovulation phase. It is an important step when preparing for pregnancy. The following methods will help you track this phase –
- Calendar Method – Given that the female is experiencing a regular menstrual cycle, she can easily track the cycle based on the previous cycle.
- Ovulation Prediction Kit – Some kits in the market can detect the surge in LH and offer more accurate predictions. This way the female could track the days of the ovulation phase.
There are many other ways to keep track of your fertility, like monitoring the cervical mucus, basal body temperature charting, and using fertility apps.
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Healthy Lifestyle: Good Preconception Health
The couple’s health before conceiving the baby is of utmost importance. Keeping your body healthy physically and mentally to conceive and to ensure that the embryo develops in a healthy body is important. Some steps are helpful to achieve preconception health-
- Taking Proper Vitamins and Nutrition – It is highly advised to take prenatal vitamins to reduce the risk of congenital disabilities. Understand your nutritional requirements and adopt a healthy diet before preparing for a healthy pregnancy.
- Health Checkups – Schedule regular health checkups with your healthcare provider before conceiving. This will help in preventing any health-related issues, and it will ensure a smooth, healthy journey of your pregnancy.
- Taking Proper Medications – If you have any medications you are taking for any disease, you should get them checked with your doctor to avoid any effects of these medicines on your pregnancy. It will help in keeping you safe during the pregnancy.
Read Also: Empowering Couples For Parenthood: Navigating Pregnancy With PCOS And PCOD
Changes In Lifestyle: The Journey to Parenthood
In preparing yourself for a healthy pregnancy, there are some lifestyle changes a couple needs to make for a smooth pregnancy. These changes are important to prepare for pregnancy and ensure a healthy baby. This section will guide you with the beneficial lifestyle changes for the couple before and while preparing for a healthy pregnancy.
Laying The Groundwork:
Looking out for preconception health can be achieved by some changes in lifestyle. Before conceiving, there are some habits and lifestyles you will need to change for a healthy pregnancy. Some lifestyle changes are:
- Quitting Smoking And Alcohol – When preparing for a healthy pregnancy, you need to quit smoking and limit the consumption of alcohol. Smoking is very harmful and creates problems in fertility in both men and women. Consuming excessive alcohol can similarly affect the development of the fetus and harm fertility.
- Managing Weight And Stress – Excessive stress and weight can interfere with preparing for pregnancy. They both can disturb the hormones, leading to irregular periods and problems in ovulation. The weight can be managed by taking a proper diet, and your stress can be managed by doing yoga, meditating, and counseling.
- Nutritional And Healthy Diet – Adopt a balanced diet rich in vegetables, pulses, whole grains, and fruits to prepare for a healthy pregnancy. Specific nutrients like folic acid are advised to prevent birth defects.
Also Read: Signs Ovulation is Over: You Need to Know If You Ovulated or Not
Pregnancy Planning:
Lifestyle choices become important once you start trying to conceive. The couple needs to ensure that their health during fertility is proper and that there are no complications.
- Healthy Habits – During the fertility or ovulation period, you should adhere to the healthy lifestyle you started before preparing for a healthy pregnancy. These include a smoke and alcohol-free environment, managing stress and weight, and taking a nutritional diet like vitamins and minerals.
- Regular Intimacy – Having intercourse during the ovulation phase is essential to conception. Maintaining proper communication with your partner ensures you are on the same page to prepare for pregnancy goals.
Read Also: What is Diffеrеncе Bеtwееn PCOS and PCOD?
Path To a Healthy Pregnancy Begins With You: Nandi IVF
These important components create a foundation for preparing for a healthy pregnancy. Parenthood is an amazing experience that requires careful planning and preparation. At Nandi IVF, we ensure you get the best assistance and guidance from the best doctors while preparing for a healthy pregnancy. Procedures like IVF have seen a success rate in India, and we are proud to be a part of that success. With personalized care, start your journey of becoming parents with us!
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Sr. IVF Specialist & Medical Director at
NANDI IVF Dr. Payal Bajaj is an experienced Obstetrician & Gynecologist with over 20 years of experience in the discipline. She is a Reproductive Endocrinologist & Infertility Specialist. She has Done MBBS From the Renowned Lady Hardinge Medical College. DGO from the prestigious VMMC & Safdarjang Hospital, DMAS From World Laparoscopy Hospital.
She has Completed Her esteemed ASPIRE -ISAR Fellowship in the field of Reproductive Medicine from AFGC, Delhi And St' Mother's Hospital Japan.She has also been trained from the University of KEIL Germany. She has won various academic awards all through her academic career.
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