Healthful eating: Nourish your baby-to-be before pregnancy The Seattle Times, 11/05/2013 Watching what you eat before conception helps develop a healthy baby. It’s not a big secret that eating a healthful, balanced diet during pregnancy is important. But from a nutrient point of view, what you eat before pregnancy is even more important. For the best possible pregnancy and the healthiest possible child, the time to start thinking about what you put on your plate is before you become pregnant. There is a narrow window of time in the first few weeks after conception when good nutrition matters most. Once this window closes, there is no “do over.” The starkest example of why good nutrition is vital at the beginning of pregnancy is the possibility of neural–tube defects. The neural tube is the embryo’s precursor to the spinal cord and brain. If cells don’t divide and multiply fast enough to form a closed, intact neural tube, it can result in traumatic birth defects. This process wraps up around day 21 of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant. While many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients are important during pregnancy, a few play significant roles right out of the gate: Folate/folic acid, Choline, Iron. If you are planning to become pregnant, consider whether your diet could use a tuneup. (This goes for fathers–to–be, too.) Research suggests that a nutritious, balanced, varied diet can enhance improve both egg and sperm quality and enhance fertility.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 14:09:32 +0000
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