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Pregnancy Risk Factors that Every Pregnant Woman Should be Aware of

Pregnancy Risk Factors that Every Pregnant Woman Should be Aware of.......

Many factors affect the development of a fetus into a healthy child, some
which are beyond your control and others that are within your control. Here
are the most common pregnancy risk factors that can be controlled or
influenced:....

Exercise - Moderate exercise is helpful as it improves the mother's mental
state and can increase oxygen flow to the fetus. However, over-exertion can
be dangerous. Most experts recommend reducing your exercise intensity during
pregnancy. Activities like walking, swimming, and yoga are popular for
pregnant women.

Prenatal Care - Regular doctor visits are important to your baby's
development. The body undergoes many changes during pregnancy. Some side
effects may be completely normal, whereas other may not. Regular monitoring
by a professional will help ensure that your baby will be born healthy.

Exposure to chemicals - During pregnancy, reduce exposure to unnatural
chemicals, particularly pesticides in food. Many people now eat organic
produce, which is grown without chemicals. The simplest precaution to take
before consuming vegetables or fruits is to wash them thoroughly. Also,
removing the outer surface of vegetables can be helpful since most
pesticides will rest on the outside of the vegetable or fruit.

Smoking - Smoking is not only bad for you, but bad for your baby as well.
Smoking during pregnancy reduces the amount of oxygen that the baby receives
and increases the risk of miscarriage, bleeding, and morning sickness.
Chemicals inhaled while smoking may lead to other health problems with the
baby. Reduced birth weight, premature birth, increased risk of SIDS, and
stillbirth are other possible consequences. Pregnant women should also avoid
second hand smoke.

Alcohol - Drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, including symptoms like
low birth weight, medical problems, and behavior abnormalities. As soon as
you know you are pregnant, stop drinking. For more detailed information on
problems that can be caused by alcohol,

Caffeine - There are many conflicting studies about caffeine and pregnancy
and some believe that caffeine is not as harmful as it was once thought to
be. Nevertheless, the FDA warns against caffeine consumption during
pregnancy and suggests quitting or reducing consumption at the very least.
Caffeine has been shown to affect fetal heart rates and awake time (fetuses
grow when sleeping). Decaffeinated coffee can also be harmful since
producers often add additional chemicals to remove the caffeine. Caffeine
can also increase risk of stretch marks. Suddenly quitting coffee intake can
cause headaches; so most experts recommend gradually reducing the amount
consumed.

Drugs and Herbal Remedies - Always be careful about drugs or herbal remedies
that are not prescribed by a doctor. These substances may affect the
development of your unborn child.

Nutrition - Good nutrition is crucial to a developing child, particularly
getting enough folic acid. Lack of folic acid can cause birth defects. At
least 400-1000 micrograms of this B vitamin is suggested (about ten times
more if you've already had a child with neural tube birth defects) starting
one month before pregnant and throughout the entire pregnancy. Leafy
vegetables, orange juice, and beans are some natural sources of folic acid.
Many stores sell vitamins with folic acid.

Other factors - Many other factors can affect fetal development, including
heart disease, the mother's age (before 15 years and after 35 years is
riskier), asthma, excessive stress or depression, diseases, and bleeding.
Consult your physician if you are affected by any of these conditions.