Before you try to get pregnant, you should start eating a healthy diet to get your body into the best shape possible. If your body mass index, which is a measure of your body fat based on your height and weight, is less than 20 or more than 30, you may have a difficult time getting pregnant, notes the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
Purpose
When you are trying to get pregnant, it is important to eat a healthy diet so that you can start your pregnancy off in the best health as possible. Eating a healthy diet can help you get to or maintain a healthy weight, which can make your pregnancy healthier. A healthy diet can also help you to keep your weight under control while you are pregnant, which means you have less weight to lose after you have your baby.
Dietary Components
When you are trying to get pregnant, you need to eat a diet that includes each of the five major food groups, notes the March of Dimes. Lean protein, vegetables, whole grains, fruits and milk all have nutrients that are necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Your food choices should be low fat and shouldn't contain much sugar. Skinless chicken, broccoli, oatmeal, apples and low-fat milk, such as 2%, are some good options when you are trying to get pregnant.
Necessary Nutrients
Making sure that you get enough folic acid before you get pregnant and in the early stages of pregnancy can help minimize your risk of having a baby with certain spinal and brain birth defects. You must eat at least 400 mcg of folic acid daily, which can be obtained in a variety of foods such as leafy green vegetables, fortified grains and orange juice. You also need calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients. In order to get the nutrients necessary, you may need to take a multivitamin and/or mineral supplement, which your doctor can prescribe for you.
Warnings
When you are trying to get pregnant, limit the amount of caffeine you consume daily to less than 300 mcg. Coffee, tea and chocolate all contain caffeine, as do some over-the-counter medications and supplements. Make sure all foods you eat while you are trying to conceive are fully cooked. Foods that contain mercury, such as swordfish and king mackerel, should be avoided. Smoking, taking street drugs, using over-the-counter drugs and drinking alcohol should also be avoided.
References
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Trying to Get Pregnant? The Right Diet and Exercise May Help; Dr. Robert Keith
- March of Dimes: Get Ready for Pregnancy
- WomensHealth.gov: Trying to Get Pregnant? Before you Start Trying
- Baby Zone; Your Preconception Diet; Carolina Fernandez
- WomensHealth.gov; Fish Facts; 2010
