If you’re thinking of having another baby, you know from experience that a bit of advance planning goes a long way. What you may not know is that nutrition for conception is as important as nutrition during pregnancy, according to Lory Hayon, medical nutritionist and registered dietitian at The Fertility Center of Las Vegas. So if you’re planning another baby, plan your pre-pregnancy nutrition too.
Prevent Birth Defects
One in 33 babies is born with a birth defect, according to the US Department of Health and Human Service’s Centers for Disease Control. Fortunately, many birth defects can be prevented with proper nutrition before and during pregnancy. Most birth defects develop in the very early stages of pregnancy, during the first two to eight weeks, according to nutritionists Alan Titchenal, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., of University of Hawaii. During this early period, some women do not even realize they are pregnant.
For this reason and others, Titchenal and Dobbs say proper nourishment before conception is critical for any woman who may get pregnant. What she eats before conception and in the weeks immediately after can affect the baby.
What to Eat
Women who plan to conceive should be fine as long as they eat a balanced diet of proteins, grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and small amounts of fat. Some foods are particularly helpful, however.
Folic acid, one of the B vitamins, prevents brain and spinal cord defects. You can take steps to ensure that you consume enough folic acid by eating whole-grain cereals and breads, oranges, grapefruits, leafy green vegetables such as spinach, pinto beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, asparagus, lentils, sunflower seeds, and organ meats such as chicken liver.
Additionally, iron is a particularly important pre-conception nutrient. Anemia results from too little iron, and women who start pregnancy with anemia may deprive their babies of oxygen. To ensure that you are not anemic, eat plenty of iron-rich foods. Fortunately, many of the same foods that provide folic acid also provide iron. Leafy green vegetables, organ meats, black-eyed peas and spinach, for example. Also, fish, beef, chicken, raisins and many beans are rich in iron.
What to Avoid
Not everything you ingest is nutritionally valuable. Alcohol and caffeine are two examples. Some studies suggest that as little as one to two cups of coffee a day may lead to an increased likelihood of miscarriage, say Drs. Titchenal and Dobbs. They also caution women who plan to conceive to avoid over-the counter medications, essential oils and herbal products.
Supplements
Talking a multivitamin and other supplements can be a good thing, but too much can be trouble. Too much vitamin A, for example, can cause birth defects. During a pre-pregnancy consultation, ask your doctor which supplements are appropriate and in what doses.
Weight
Linked to what she eats, a woman’s pre-pregnancy weight may also affect the baby. Women who are underweight before conception may give birth to small babies, while overweight women are at risk for gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and accompanying serious complications such as preeclampsia and eclampsia. The latter can lead to seizures, coma and death.
If you are underweight or overweight, you should see your doctor about a diet that will restore you to a healthy weight before you get pregnant.
The Baby’s Sex
If you’re hoping to conceive a particular gender, researchers from Oxford and the University of Exeter in England, say they have evidence that a baby’s sex is connected to the mother’s diet. The study, admittedly questioned by some, appears in “Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Science.”
Previous in vitro fertilization studies had already shown that high levels of glucose seem to encourage male embryonic development but impede female embryonic development. In the British study, women who skipped breakfast–a practice that results in low glucose levels–were less likely to have boys. But women who had cereal for breakfast were more likely to have boys.
In addition, women who ate more were likely to have boys. Not surprisingly, they also ate a broader range of nutrients, such as the vitamins B12, C, and E, as well as potassium and calcium.
Carol Frome is a freelance writer-researcher who writes on a wide variety of topics. She is also the mother of two grown sons and grandmother of one granddaughter. She writes here on behalf of www.methodsofhealing.com.
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