A women needs to be healthy even before she becomes pregnant and long before she can think about being a mother. She needs to make sure that all pregnancies in the future are planned. If you are considering entering into the phase of motherhood, a few tough pregnancy decisions are needed which are explained below:
If you are sexually active:
You should firstly consider whether or not you and your partner want to have a child. You must plan and set your goals. This Reproductive Life Plan involves deciding upon actions needed to reach your goals. Your situations, personal values, beliefs, and career influence your pregnancy decisions.
Preconception Health:
You need to take care of your health before pregnancy. Consider the health conditions, risk factors, eating habits, etc since they affect both the woman and the unborn baby. For example, diabetes can affect pregnancy.
One statistic says that about half of all pregnancies happen without planning. The result of unplanned pregnancies is a risk of preterm birth, low-birth-weight babies, and health problems for the baby and the mother. With rapid advances in medicine, researchers and doctors are trying their best to prevent preterm births. Better mother’s health prevents such baby problems to a considerable degree.
Tying to conceive:
It is a fact that both women and men suffer from infertility problems. But how can you verify that?
The Menstrual Cycle: You should be aware of your body with regard to the reproductive system. You should notice the changes in your body that happen during your periods. The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days but normal cycles can vary from 21 to 35 days in different women with same or different age groups. You need to notice the time period before ovulation because this is when pregnancy can occur.
Infertility: Couples suffer from problems of infertility. About one third of these cases are female problems, one-third male problems and the rest because both partners have fertility challenges.
Causes of Infertility:
- Age – Fertility problems in women start from early 30s even though menstrual cycles continue to be regular in 30s and 40s. As a woman and her eggs age there is a greater chance of having genetic problems during pregnancy.
- Health problems – Some women have diseases or conditions that affect their hormone levels and can cause infertility.
- Lifestyle factors – Certain lifestyle factors e.g smoking, alcohol, being obese, strenuous exercise, eating disorders and stress can have a negative effect on a woman's fertility
Options for Infertile Couples:
You and your partner can see a doctor if you anticipate any fertility issues. The doctor will need to test both you and your partner to find out the exact problem. Depending on the outcome, a treatment will be recommended.