Pre-Pregnancy Health

Pregnancy at an early age can be really positive for some young people. It can be a planned choice and a new beginning. For others, it can increase the likelihood of poverty and reduce or compromise life chances, and this cycle can then repeat from one generation to the next. If you would like to or are trying to get pregnant, there are lots of factors that you need to take into consideration.

NHS Lanarkshire has created a Health B4 Pregnancy animation with some useful advice. The main things you need to think about before becoming pregnant or to maximise your chances of a healthy pregnancy and the best possible outcomes for you and your baby if you do decide to become pregnant are:

• Making sure you are healthy and happy before pregnancy is best for you and any children you may have. Risk of new, and existing, mental health conditions should be identified and managed before pregnancy.
• Stop smoking (permanently if you can). Stopping smoking is one of the most important things you can do to improve your baby’s health, growth and development. It is also the single most important thing that you can do to improve your own long-term health.
  You are twice as likely to stop smoking successfully with the right support from the NHS. Quit Your Way Scotland is an advice and support service for anyone trying to stop smoking in Scotland. You can Quit Your Way Scotland for free by; phoning a Quit Your Way Scotland advisor on 0800 848484 or chatting online with an advisor. Helpline and chat are available Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm.
• Don’t drink any alcohol if you think you may become pregnant as this can affect fertility and cause permanent harm to your unborn baby. No alcohol, no risk.
• No illegal drugs are safe for use in pregnancy or when planning pregnancy.
• Take a daily folic acid supplement (of 400 micrograms) if you think you may become pregnant as this helps your baby develop in the early days when you may not know you are pregnant and can help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
• Eat well and be active to help you achieve a healthy body weight. Being within a healthy weight range is important for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby.
• Make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date before pregnancy. Ensure you have received two doses of MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine.
• Check any medications you are prescribed are suitable to take when pregnant.

Waiting until you are pregnant to improve your health can be too late, especially if you don’t know you are pregnant for the first few weeks. Planning pregnancy is important to ensure you have time to prepare your body for pregnancy and be as healthy as you can be.