Your activities and the products you expose your body to play a role in your unborn child's development. Taking precautions reduces the chance of birth defects, developmental problems and premature birth. The necessary changes in your behavior and lifestyle vary depending on how healthy you currently are. Assess your behaviors, diet and regular activities to determine whether extra precautions are necessary to improve your baby's health.
Food
Most nutritious foods are safe during pregnancy, but certain precautions and limitations are recommended to keep your baby safe. Limit seafood consumption to 12 oz. per week. Skip uncooked fish completely until after your pregnancy. Tilefish, king mackerel, shark and swordfish are also off limits because of mercury levels. Albacore tuna is acceptable, but limit it to one serving a week. Unpasteurized products, raw eggs and paté are not recommended during pregnancy. If you eat processed meats such as hot dogs or deli meat, heat them to steaming before eating to prevent listeria.
Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs
The nicotine and carbon monoxide from smoking passes from the mother to the fetus. This exposes your baby to health risks including premature birth, lower birth weight, respiratory problems such as asthma, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome. Even secondhand smoke can affect your baby's growth and development. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a possibility with alcohol consumption while pregnant. The effects are both mental and physical in babies affected by alcohol consumption. Drug use during pregnancy potentially leads to premature birth, birth defects, growth abnormalities and addiction to the drug used. Check with your doctor on both prescription and over-the-counter drugs as soon as you become pregnant to determine which ones are safe to continue using.
Activities
Most activities you participate in before getting pregnant are still safe, but some become more dangerous as the pregnancy progresses. Any activity that puts you at risk for falling is not recommended. Examples are riding a bike, inverted poses, horseback riding and rock climbing. These activities also require steady balance, which is often difficult during pregnancy due to the changed weight distribution. Choose low-impact activities that don't put you at risk for falling to stay fit.
Temperature
Activities or environments that raise your body's core temperature put your baby at risk. In early pregnancy, a fetus subjected to a core body temperature of 102 F or higher has an increased risk of neural tube defects. Avoid hot tubs, saunas, intense workouts in hot climates, electric blankets or extended periods in hot weather that potentially lead to overheating.
Chemicals
Cleaners, paints, solvents and other products that contain toxic chemicals are potentially dangers to you and your unborn child. Read the product label to make sure that the item is nontoxic before using it during pregnancy. Your doctor can help you determine whether a particular product is safe. Avoid breathing the fumes of any cleaning or other chemical product.
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