Making Your Pregnancy Safer

The joy of motherhood is one experience many women want after a legitimate marriage. Even before the wedding day many couples start planning on the number of children to have.
After the wedding the woman become pregnant and full preparation for the baby begin. Sadly, for some couples the joy and expectation of becoming parent is short-lived. Complications can arise during pregnancy. Pregnancy complications can affect the mother, the unborn child or both. Many women across the globe face similar conditions during pregnancy. Most times negligence and ignorance may be the main cause of pregnancy complications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each day "800 women die of preventable causes related to pregnancy and child birth......In 2013, 289,000 women died during and following pregnancy and child birth."

Why do complications arises during pregnancy? And is there any step a woman can take to make pregnancy safer? For some reasons couples do not allow time to elapse between the birth of one child and the next. They fail to practice child spacing. I have seen so many women pregnant and at the same time nursing a baby. This can be harmful to the mother and the unborn child. The womb is not a factory made of mechanical engines. There should be sufficient time interval between each pregnancy. This enable the mother to recuperate fully after giving birth.

An expectant mother need proper diet for safer pregnancy. Anemia could occur during pregnancy due to iron deficiency. It is recommended that pregnant women eat foods rich in iron. Another essential nutrient needed by an expectant mother is folic acid. Folic acid prevent birth defects of the unborn child's brain and spinal cord.

Maintaining a healthy weight is essential. Avoid gaining too much weight and also avoid losing too much weight. Being obese can cause spina bifida a type of birth defect that affect the baby's spinal cord.

Some medicines taken during pregnancy can be harmful to both mother and child. However, you can prevent complications when undergoing any treatment plan. Do not take any drug unless specifically prescribed by your healthcare provider who is aware that you are pregnant. Avoid taking herbs or supplements without medical supervision. Some potent herbs can induce miscarriage. Supplements in wrong dose can cause birth defect. Hence, it is better to treat any health problem before pregnancy.

Expectant mothers who indulge in alcohol drinking or tobacco smoking can inflict harm on the unborn child. The child is likely to suffer from physical abnormalities and mental retardation.

Even if a woman was healthy before pregnancy, it is expected of her to go for regular medical examination to make sure she is free from infections (bacterial, fungal, viral or parasitic) during pregnancy.

As a result of weakness, some pregnant women may neglect basic hygiene procedures such as regular hand washing and toilets. Failure to maintain high hygiene standard may result to infection.

A woman can never get pregnant by herself. A man is responsible, so a husband who wish to become a father should give his pregnant wife adequate attention and fulfill her basic needs. Husbands should recognized that there is limit to what expectant mothers can do pertaining to house chores.

Making pregnancy safer starts before pregnancy and continues during pregnancy. Pregnant women who takes proper care of themselves can be rest assure of safe delivery and less prone to complications.