11 things NOT to do when trying to get pregnant

What to do to stay incited we know very well 💋, but what shouldn’t we do when we’re trying to get pregnant?

We’re sorry to be a spoilsport, but we have to dig up an old, but always useful proverb that should also be applied in this situation:

 “First the duty, and then the pleasure”

Pregnancy should always be planned , which does not mean planning relationships, but adopting some precautions which on the one hand can increase the chances of success, and on the other can reduce the chances of complications once conception has taken place.

Reproductive success is not only represented by conception but also and above all in obtaining a pregnancy that proceeds without complications and, finally, the birth of a HEALTHY baby.

Are these or are not these the goals of all aspiring parents?

Well if that’s the case, before messing around in the search for there are some precautions to be taken to facilitate conception and protect the health of the child to be born.

What NOT to do when trying to get pregnant

1. Losing or gaining too much weight

Weighing too much or too little reduces the chances of getting pregnant. In fact, both situations can cause irregular and non-ovulatory menstrual cycles. Obviously, when you don’t ovulate, you cannot conceive a child.

Weight changes cause fluctuations in hormone levels which lead to fertility problems. Also, obesity increases the risk of

• Spontaneous abortions
• Gestational diabetes
• Preeclampsia
• A child with high birth weight and/or certain birth defects

The goal is to achieve an optimal weight before pregnancy and maintain it during pregnancy.

Experts suggest expectant mothers should aim for a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 27.

2. Overdo it with exercise

If you are thinking about getting pregnant, now is not the time to train for a marathon!

Strenuous exercise can lead to hormonal changes that make it difficult for the ovaries to produce or release eggs. Conditions of intense physical exercise can in fact lead to situations of secondary amenorrhea .

If the woman has a BMI in the normal range or below the normal range, very vigorous physical activities make it more difficult to get pregnant.

If, on the other hand, the woman is overweight, exercise can help her lose weight and improve her chances of pregnancy.

3. Waiting to start a family when age is no longer favourable

Age should always be taken into account when planning a family .

Many couples underestimate the importance of age, especially of women, in seeking a pregnancy, but also in men, fertility is no longer the same towards the age of 50. In women it falls much earlier, starting from the age of 36.

4. Wait until pregnancy is confirmed to stop drinking

If you plan to start looking for a baby, no more booze

This applies to the woman but also to the future dad.

Did you know that half of all pregnancies are unplanned? So many women continue to drink alcohol without knowing they are already pregnant. Even the occasional alcohol, a glass every now and then is not good: alcohol is harmful to the fetus .

Not only that, it is harmful to the developing fetus at every stage of pregnancy , but especially in the first few weeks.

There is no safe level of alcohol to drink preconceptionally, and there is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

In the male partner, alcohol can lower the levels of the sex hormone testosterone and cause erectile dysfunction. But not only. A very recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology   showed that men who drink alcohol in the three months preceding conception increase their risk of congenital heart defects by 44 percent.

But my friend…

Yes, it may be that they told you that that mother always drank during pregnancy and her son is healthy, but that doesn’t mean that alcohol is good for pregnancy and that you too will have the same luck.

5. Smoking

Cigarette smoke is bad, that’s all I need to add. Smokers should quit even if they are not trying to get pregnant.

If you have decided to try and smoke, the first thing you have to do is throw away the cigarettes, together with your partner. Remember that:

• Smoking more than 10 cigarettes a day greatly reduces the chances of pregnancy.
• Smoking increases the risk of miscarriages
• smoking increases the risk of  ectopic pregnancy
• Smoking can damage the ovaries (causes premature aging of the ovaries)
• Smoking can reduce sperm count and motility in men
• Smoking reduces the effectiveness of assisted reproduction treatments
• Smoking can cause long-term damage to the health of the unborn baby

But my mother and grandmother…

You can find dozens of stories of moms who smoked a lot during their pregnancy and apparently have healthy children. As with alcohol, smoking is also a risk factor: is it worth letting luck decide your child’s health?

Also remember, as already mentioned, that damage from smoking is not necessarily present at birth, but can manifest itself after many years.

6. Overdo it with supplements

If you are planning a pregnancy it is important to supplement your diet with folic acid .

In the absence of particular pathologies, 400 mcg of folic acid per day are sufficient to help prevent some congenital birth defects such as spina bifida.

On the other hand, feasting on supplements and multivitamins not suitable for pregnancy or not prescribed by a doctor to cure some deficiency should be avoided. Too much vitamin A, for example, can be harmful in pregnancy.

But I’m afraid I’m lacking in…

As always, what matters is a healthy lifestyle: eat well and your body will have everything it needs for you and your baby.

7. Overdo it with energy drinks and coffee

Rest and relax. Stress is neither good for the body nor for the mood.

When it comes to caffeine, the message that needs to get across is moderation. A cup of coffee a day shouldn’t affect your chances of getting pregnant. But if you drink more than one coffee a day, and add energy drinks and chocolate to that, it’s time to cut back.

In fact, it has been seen that caffeine in the preconception phase could reduce the chances of pregnancy .

During pregnancy however, we have seen here that women who consume caffeine are  more likely to have smaller-than-average babies at birth or to have premature births .

8. Sip the sex

Making love only once a week is not a good choice .

If you are looking for a pregnancy you have to get busy. The chances of conception increase if couples have intercourse every other day during the woman’s fertile period.

It is also important not to allow more than 5 days of abstinence to pass even when the woman is not fertile.

9. Underestimating medicines

Many women feel that they need to stop all medications they take before becoming pregnant.  You should not stop any treatment without talking to your doctor first.

If you are regularly taking the medicines prescribed by your specialist, contact him before starting the search for pregnancy to find out what to do. The specialist could change the drug or modify the therapy.

10. Using drugs

Drugs can harm the growing child. The couple must absolutely stop taking drugs the moment they decide to try to get pregnant. It may take some time before the substances are no longer present in the bloodstream.

11. Underestimating vaccines

The moment you start thinking about getting pregnant, go to the doctor and have preconception tests prescribed , which are free. If you are not immune to rubella or chickenpox it is important to get vaccinated. These diseases, if caught during pregnancy, can cause serious problems for the baby.