You’ve been trying for a while, but the little one still hasn’t arrived!! Don’t panic yet, because the time it takes to conceive varies for each person. If you want to have a baby, you need to prepare your body first. Here are 4 recommendations from doctors that will increase your chances of having a baby.
- Nutrition is key
Preparing your body before pregnancy is most important by eating a variety of foods covering all 5 food groups, focusing on protein, calcium, and iron. Choose to eat green leafy vegetables, broccoli, animal protein, nuts, whole grains, whole wheat bread, cereals, and dairy products. For men, focus on foods rich in protein, zinc, manganese, and beta-carotene because these nutrients help strengthen sperm. Additionally, reduce caffeine intake to only 1-2 cups per day to increase the chances of having a baby. - Exercise in moderation
Exercise is good for the body, but overdoing it is not. Prospective parents who want to have a baby should exercise or exert themselves in moderation because women who overexert or exercise excessively may ovulate less and have menstrual irregularities. For men, it may lower testosterone levels. - Take folic acid to prepare
Besides eating nutritious food, you should take folic acid at least 3 months before pregnancy because folic acid helps in embryo development, prevents and reduces neural tube defects such as anencephaly and spina bifida caused by folic acid deficiency. It also helps repair genetics, regulate the production of amino acids necessary for cell division, and supports the formation of red and white blood cells in the bone marrow of the baby in the womb. - Health check-up to prepare before pregnancy
Essentially, a pre-pregnancy health check-up is necessary because the health of the parents directly affects the baby. If the parents are healthy and strong, the baby is more likely to be born healthy and strong as well. A pre-pregnancy health check-up screens for genetic diseases that may be passed to the baby or conditions that pose risks during pregnancy, such as thalassemia, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It also assesses the readiness of the woman for pregnancy and screens for risks of diseases or complications that may occur during pregnancy.
These are the recommendations from Dr. Yaowapha Jongensuksil, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Head of the Infertility Treatment Center, Phyathai 3 Hospital.
