5 Steps to a Healthy Safe and Pregnancy

68 Pages·2011·1.86 MB·English

by  Dr. Anjali Arora

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5 Steps to
A Healthy and Safe Pregnancy
© 2011, Dr. Anjali Arora & Dr. Vrinda Arora
ISBN 978 81 207 4922 1
E-ISBN 978 81 207 9036 0

The author wishes to thank all academicians, scientists and writers who have
been a source of inspiration.

The author and publisher specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk,
whatsoever, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly
or indirectly of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.

All rights are reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without prior written permission of the authors.

Printed and Published by Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi-110020.
Contents
1. Preparation for Motherhood
2. Trimesters of Pregnancy
3. Diseases Affecting Mother and Foetus
4. Healthy Eating with Safe Exercise During Pregnancy
5. Later Half of Pregnancy and the “D Day”
Myths and Fact File
Are You Aware of Some of These Factors?
1. A woman conceives when
a) An ovum fuses with another ovum b) An ovum fuses with a sperm c) An
ovum fuses with the tube 2. Pregnancy can be detected by a blood test a)
After 45 days of conception b) After 30 days of conception c) After 15 days
of conception 3. Fertility in a woman starts diminishing around a) 40 yrs
of age
b) 30 yrs of age
c) 20 yrs of age
4. To avoid sagging of muscles after delivery, it is important to start
exercising around a) First week of delivery b) 40 days after delivery c) 6
months after delivery The above questionnaire will help you find out as to
how aware you are of pregnancy. If you answer more of (b), then you are
aware about a healthy pregnancy.

1 Preparation for Motherhood
Marriage and Pregnancy
Teen marriages or pregnancies are common in the Western world like their
counterparts of “child marriage” in the East. Child marriage is defined as any
marriage carried out below 18 years of age. The girl at this stage, is not ready
physically, physiologically or psychologically to fulfill the responsibilities of
marriage and childbearing. Child marriage is related to multiple health risks.
Also pregnancy related deaths are high in girls between 15-19 years of age.
Divorce rate among couples under twenty years is known to be high (between
80-85%). Social scientists have found that people who marry young are seldom
prepared for marital roles.
On the other hand, there is a gradual decrease in fertility among women after the
age of 30. As the age progresses a woman may take longer to conceive, or she
may have to face the problems of sub-fertility or infertility.
Women starting a family in their late 20s or early 30s might lead a healthier
lifestyle. They are often more educated and better off financially. They may
understand the needs of their bodies and look after themselves better in terms of
exercise and nutrition. Mature women have more positive perceptions of their
bodies, and more readily tolerate the symptoms of pregnancy. At this age women
are often independent, confident and know what they want.
It is also a well known fact that older women (>35 years) have a higher chance
of having a baby with a genetic abnormality, such as Down’s syndrome. There is
a marked pattern of increased intervention with the increasing age of the mother.
Virtually all studies agree that the rate of caesareans also rise with maternal age.
Once you are prepared for pregnancy and you have decided to go for it, get a
general checkup done, to detect if you are suffering from any of the following :
Anaemia
Thyroid disease
Diabetes mellitus
High blood pressure
Thalassaemia
or any other disease which may affect your pregnancy. Also check if you have