Healthy pregnancy the 10 things to do in nine months

What to eat, what medic actions to avoid, what tests to do, how to prevent infection. These and other questions are answered by the ' Decalogue for a peaceful maternity ‘, the American Association for the study of malformations.

1 - INFORMS THE GYNECOLOGIST RISK OF DISEASE CONGENITAL

The risk that a child can be born with a congenital disease depends on various causes, and it is good to know when you can, even before pregnancy begins. It is therefore important that future parents should inform your doctor in detail about the presence in their story of the couple and in that of their families of origin, diseases and birth defects, chronic diseases, miscarriages. In the case of chromosomal disorders, such as Down syndrome, the main risk factor is the age of the mother, particularly after the age of 35, beyond which are recommended more thorough examinations of prenatal diagnosis.

2 - MAKE THE BLOOD TESTS TO DETERMINE THE RISK OF INFECTION

Infections, especially if contracted for the first time, still represent a danger to the baby that is growing in the womb. Therefore it is appropriate for the pregnant, early pregnancy, check the presence or absence of antibodies with appropriate blood tests against various infectious diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, rubella, and cytomegalovirus. If it is at risk of infection, the expectant mother will have to take certain precautions, or get vaccinated, while the transmission of the disease to the fetus can be avoided, if necessary, with a cesarean delivery.

3 - HEALTHY EATING AND SMALL FREQUENT MEALS

Eat properly while expecting a baby is especially important for his future health. The diet during pregnancy should be varied and balanced, with smaller, more frequent meals instead of the normal three. The weight increment varies depending on the BMI, or body mass index, prior to gestation. Calculate your BMI online (you have to enter your weight before pregnancy) and then with the table below occur if the increase during gestation weights is in line with the medical indications.

4 - STOP TO CIGARETTES, ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

In the nine months of waiting is a must stop smoking, do not drink alcohol (it is allowed a maximum of one glass of wine per meal) and not doing drugs. In fact all habits that harm the fetus in various ways. X-rays should be avoided so as not to create unnecessary fears, even if the level of radiation emitted by the current equipment is very low, and the risks are negligible for the small.

5 - DO NOT TAKE YOUR MEDICINE OF INITIATIVE

During pregnancy is forbidden to take medicines on their own initiative: any medication, even those most commonly used, should be taken only on specific indication and under medical supervision . Women who take drugs for chronic problems should consult their doctor beforehand when they want to have a child. No problem for dental treatment and related local anesthetics.

6 - ADVISED ON TEST OF NON-INVASIVE PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS

To identify individually the risk that the fetus is affected by a chromosomal abnormality exist ultrasound and blood tests absolutely harmless non -invasive to the unborn child. According to their results, the pregnant woman can decide freely whether or not to perform other more invasive tests, such as chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis.

7 - CURRENCY THE POSSIBILITY ' OF MAKING OR CVS AMNIOCENTESIS

If the expectant mother wants to be sure that your child is not suffering from chromosomal disorders It has the possibility to carry out two more detailed examinations, but more invasive, prenatal diagnosis, to collect cells, which it then analyze the chromosomes. Both of these tests, namely the chorionic villus sampling and l ' amniocentesis, involve the penetration of a thin needle into the uterus, with consequent risk of abortion, albeit minimal (between 0.5 and 1 % of cases). However, it is always advisable to inquire beforehand, to select health facilities and qualified professionals who have extensive experience with regard to these procedures.

8 - DO NOT JUMP ULTRASOUND MORPHOLOGIC (19-23 WEEK)

All pregnant women should perform morphological ultrasound in the second trimester of pregnancy, between the 19th and 23rd week, in order to verify the normality of the organs of the fetus. This ultrasound is able to identify more than 50% of their congenital abnormalities, provided that it is carried out by experienced operators with appropriate tools. With this survey will also monitor the progress of the growth of the unborn child and the amount of amniotic fluid.

9 - BE AWARE THAT THE FETUS MAY ' STILL BE TREATED IN WOMB OR JUST AFTER THE BIRTH

There are a growing number of deformities that can be cured already effectively before birth or soon after, allowing the child a normal life. These results are the fruit of teamwork between different specialist medical figures, normally used in the best medical facilities.

10 - MAKE SURE THE BABY ' HAS MADE THE FIRST SCREENING

Immediately after birth, the Doctors remove some drops of blood from the baby to research the possible presence of some diseases of the metabolism, and precisely the phenylketonuria , cystic lafibrosi el'ipotiroidismo congenital This early control allows you to immediately intervene with the most appropriate treatment , avoiding the serious damage that these diseases cannot be diagnosed during pregnancy may cause the baby. Today you can also make early detection of two other conditions: congenital hip dislocation congenital bilateral eipoacusia (deafness)