Having a miscarriage puts a strain on your mental and physical health. You might feel hopeless and depressed when trying to conceive again, but you can take certain steps to prime your body for conception, which might help improve your chances of becoming pregnant. Talk with your health care provider before you make any changes to your diet or exercise routine. She can help determine any other factors that might be affecting you and help set you up on a path to a happy, healthy pregnancy.
Balanced Diet
Having a balanced diet provides all of the nutrients your body needs without having an excess or deficiency in any single nutrient. Having an imbalanced diet leads to problems with growth and development, which can be harmful during pregnancy. The first component of a balanced diet is consuming the right amount of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Your diet should consist of 45 percent to 65 percent carbohydrates, 10 percent to 35 percent protein and 20 percent to 35 percent fat, the McKinley Health Center Reports. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, this is equal to 225 to 325 g of carbs, 50 to 175 g of protein and 44 to 78 g of fat. The second component of a balanced diet is getting enough vitamins and minerals. Eating a variety of foods from each food group and selecting low-fat versions of certain foods helps keep your diet balanced by providing all of the nutrients you need to help you conceive.
Getting Adequate Folic Acid
Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that is essential for women of childbearing age. This important vitamin helps prevent neural tube defects from developing in the central nervous system of your growing fetus. These defects occur between the 21st and 27th days of pregnancy, often before you realize you are pregnant, explains the Linus Pauling Institute. Neural tube defects can be fatal for the fetus and lead to spontaneous miscarriage. Make sure you get the recommended 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to help prevent birth defects.
Know Your BMI
Maintaining a healthy weight is essential if you are trying to get pregnant. The body mass index, or BMI, is a calculation that your doctor uses to evaluate your level of body fatness, explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since being underweight or overweight can inhibit your chances of becoming pregnant, staying within a healthy weight range is key. Calculate your BMI by dividing your weight in pounds by height in inches, and divide that number by your height in inches again; multiply the answer by 703. Ideally your BMI should fall between 18.5 and 24.9. Having a BMI below 18.5 means you might be underweight and a BMI above 25.0 translates to being overweight.
Lifestyle Changes
Making a few lifestyle changes can help you conceive and have a healthy pregnancy. Reduce your alcohol consumption or cut it out all together. Not only is alcohol full of empty calories, but it also can lead to birth defects if you drink during pregnancy. Quit smoking and don't allow people around you to smoke. Having an occasional cigarette or being exposed to secondhand smoke also can lead to birth defects. Cut back on caffeine intake, as too much caffeine might affect fertility. Limit your consumption to less than 300 mg per day, or about three cups of coffee.
References
- Baby Center: Trying to Conceive? Five Changes to Make to Your Diet Now; September 2006
- McKinley Health Center: Macronutrients; The Importance of Carbohydrate, Protein, and Fat; March 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Balanced Diet Recommendations; October 2009
- Linus Pauling Institute; Folic Acid; September 2007
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; About BMI for Adults; June 2011
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