Taking supplements

Your diet for pregnancy

A good diet, providing you with all the necessary nutrients, is vital
when you are planning to conceive. If you eat well, you should not need
to take a general vitamin or mineral supplement, but if you do, make sure
that you take one specifically designed for pregnant (or pre-pregnant)
women, as these do not include Vitamin A. High levels of this fat-soluble
vitamin may cause developmental abnormalities in the foetus. Scientists
have discovered that the controversial Atkins diet, high in protein and
fat, could reduce your chances of becoming pregnant. So, if there was
ever a reason not to diet, this could be it. Read
more in this news story.

Taking supplements

The one supplement all women planning for a baby should take is folic acid, one of
the B vitamins. The Department of Health recommends taking a folic acid supplement as this
has been shown to significantly reduce the risks of having a child with spina
bifida. You
can get the recommended dose of folic acid, 0.4mg a day (which may also be described at
400mcg or micrograms) at any chemist’s. If you are epileptic and take drugs to
control your epilepsy, consult your doctor before taking folic acid.

As well as taking a supplement, try to eat more foods that contain folic acid. These
include green leafy vegetables, especially sprouts and spinach, and some fortified
breakfast cereals. If you are already pregnant, take the supplement as soon as you can and
continue for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Foods to avoid

Some foods carry tiny risks for pregnant women and therefore you may like to avoid them
when you are trying to conceive. These include:

  • Soft cheeses, especially those made with unpasteurised milk, which may carry listeria.
    There is a small risk that listeria can cause an infection which may lead to miscarriage
  • Liver or foods containing liver, like pates, as these contain high levels of vitamin A
  • Raw or undercooked meats which can carry listeria
  • Pre-cooked chilled meals, which may carry food poisoning organisms if they are not
    thoroughly reheated until piping hot
  • Ready-washed salads which have been shown to sometimes carry listeria. Wash all
    vegetables and salads before you eat them
  • Lightly-cooked eggs. Hard boil eggs until the whites and yolk are solid to avoid
    possible risk of salmonella

More ways to get your body ready:

Where to next?

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