Preconception Guidelines for a Healthy Pregnancy

Ideally, women who are planning to conceive should begin making some adjustments to their lifestyle in advance of conception. These changes may include a balanced diet, physical activity, and dietary supplements such as folic acid, iron, calcium, or prenatal vitamins. Pregnancy is a critical period for a mother as she is responsible for the complete nutrition of the fetus during pregnancy. To cope with this challenging period, she should be ready before conceiving, to have a nutrition store inside her to meet the nutritional needs of two human beings at a time.

Ways To Modify Lifestyle:

•    Consume whole-grain cereals such as whole-wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal

•    Consume a variety of vegetables of different colors 

•    Take 2-3 servings of whole fruits daily

•    Consume low-fat milk preferably before bedtime for healthy sleep 

•    Ensure intake of fish, lean meat, and legumes in the diet 

•    Add a mixed vegetable salad to the diet 

•    Add some sort of physical activity to your lifestyle such as brisk walking for 20–25 minutes because it’s a healthy and bearable exercise 

How Do Dietary Supplements Help Maintain Healthy Pregnancy?

Essential vitamins and minerals are required for the healthy growth and development of the baby. Mothers should have a good amount of these vitamins and minerals to support the healthy growth and development of the child. The requirement of these nutrients can’t be fulfilled through diet only. To fulfill the demand for these nutrients, women are encouraged to use dietary supplements before conceiving to fulfill their dietary requirements.

1.    Folic Acid 

It is recommended that all women of childbearing age get at least 400mcg of folic acid per day.  Folic acid prevents neural tube defects.  Neural tube defects occur within the first 28 days of pregnancy, a time when a woman might still be unaware of her pregnancy. Increased intake of green leafy vegetables, beans, some citrus fruits, nuts, fortified cereals, and grains will help reach the recommended level of folic acid. But this alone won’t be enough to prevent neural tube defects in babies.

To reduce the risk of birth defects, women should ensure to intake 400mcg of folic acid daily. Nutrifactor’s Folic acid is the best dietary supplement that contains 400mcg of folic acid to support the normal formation of blood cells, and healthy growth of the fetus. It also helps to minimize the risks of neural tube defects in babies.

2.    Iron

Preconception is the best time to get the optimal levels of iron in the body. Because iron requirement increases from 18mg to 27mg during pregnancy. A pregnant woman needs to ensure a sufficient amount of iron to support a growing baby, increasing blood volume, and blood loss at birth. If a woman is deficient in iron, it is possible that the baby will not have enough iron for the developing brain. 

Iron-rich foods, such as red meat, dark meat poultry, fish, spinach, beans, lentils, and whole grains should be included in the diet. But diet alone may not help in fulfilling the iron requirements. To overcome this iron deficiency, ensure the intake of good quality dietary supplements just like Nutrifactor’s Fero. It aids to fulfill iron deficiency and helps in red blood cell production in the body by providing a sufficient amount of iron.

3.    Calcium

The developing fetus gets the necessary calcium from the mother to support healthy bone development. And if the mother is calcium-deficient herself, this can put both of them at risk of osteoporosis later in life. At least 1,000- 1300mg of calcium is needed every day depending on the age of a pregnant woman. Calcium-rich foods like calcium-fortified cereals, fortified orange juice, soy products, almonds, and dairy products should be added to the diet. Sometimes, diet only can’t fulfill the requirement. To help with this, daily use of Nutrifactor’s Bonex-D is a good option to fulfill the calcium requirement.

4.    Prenatal Dietary Supplement

Nutrifactor’s Nuception consists of 21 essential nutrients, including key vitamins, minerals, and some effective herbs to support women’s good reproductive health. This formula is designed to provide fertility support, fulfill the nutritional deficiencies, and prepare a female’s body for conception. It also helps and contributes to immunity, fetal growth, cell division, and hormonal functions. The addition of this supplement to the diet before conception can be the best option for fertility support and healthy pregnancy.

References:

•    https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&ContentID=P02479

•    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290217

•    https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/anemia-during-pregnancy/art-20114455