Pregnancy-Related Problems: Prevention

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Prevention

It is important to make healthy lifestyle choices to lower your chance for serious problems during pregnancy. Learn about healthy lifestyle choices before, during, and after your pregnancy.

• Have a healthy pregnancy. Eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of rest, avoid hot weather temperatures, and do not do activities that could lead to a fall or belly injury.
• Pay attention to your nutrition and weight gain during pregnancy. Be sure to get the right amounts of folic acid, iron, and calcium. Try for slow, gradual weight gain.
• Limit your use of caffeine.
• Eat a healthy diet. Get enough protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and zinc. These nutrients are vital to your baby's growth, development, and weight gain.
• Exercise safely during pregnancy. Try to get 30 minutes of exercise on most, if not all, days of the week.
• Do pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises to prevent urine control problems (incontinence) after childbirth.

Things to avoid when you are pregnant

• Alcohol
• Smoke or use tobacco
• Illegal drugs or misuse of medicines
• Hot tubs and saunas
• Things that cause toxoplasmosis. This includes raw meat, poultry, or seafood; unwashed fruits or vegetables; and cat feces or outdoor soil that cats commonly use.
• Fish that may have mercury. This includes shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, more than of white albacore tuna per week, or fish caught in local waters that have not tested as safe.
• Hazardous chemicals, certain cosmetic products, or radiation

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Last updated:	August 07, 2006
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Renée M. Crichlow, MD - Family Medicine, Liisa Honey, MD, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer