Preconception care is a vital part of a mother’s pregnancy. This would greatly affect the mother’s and the child’s outcome after pregnancy. Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals may lead to complications either during pregnancy itself or the development of health complications for the newborn. Folate deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy. This may lead to damaging effects such as neural tube defects, miscarriage, and Down’s syndrome. Iron deficiency, on the other hand, may affect the cognitive and immune functioning of the offspring. This may then lead to hypothyroidism. Another is Vitamin D deficiency which may cause the offspring to have decreased bone mass, develop issues in the respiratory system, crooked teeth, and short-sightedness. While all of these deficiencies lead to serious problems in the offspring, it may still be prevented through preconception care.
Preconception care should be understood and done by women of reproductive age because they are potentially preconceptive. This should be done because most of the critical developments of the fetus occur during the first trimester. Thus, it is essentialthat the woman’s body is prepared for the different changes. Care includes lifestyle modifications such as discontinuing the use of toxic substances like alcohol and cigarettes, and maintaining a healthy weight. The intake of sufficient nutrients and minerals such as Vitamin D, magnesium, Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), and folate acid.
While the care itself is dependent on the actions of the mother, it is also important that they are properly educated on what to expect during their pregnancy and most importantly, preconception care. Different programs and health education may be used by health professionals such as nurses in order to guide the mother. All of these actions will help the mother have a healthy pregnancy.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Planning for pregnancy. https://www.cdc.gov/preconception/planning.html
Genius, S. (2016). Preconception care: A new standard of care within maternal health services. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6150976