22/02/2023Pregnant women can do many things to take care of themselves during pregnancy. If you have any questions about your diet, the use of drugs or nutritional supplements, physical activities and sexual behavior during pregnancy, you can consult your gynecologist.
Diet and weight
During pregnancy, your diet needs to be adequate and nutritious. If you don’t take enough nutrition for yourself and your baby, it will affect your baby first. However, adding about 250 calories to your daily diet is usually enough to nourish both. Most of the extra calories must be protein. Eat a balanced diet, including fresh fruits, grains and vegetables. Grain rich in fiber and low sugar is a good choice. Seafood contains nutrients that are essential for fetal growth and development. However, you should choose seafood with low mercury content (such as shrimp, rather than high-mercury tuna).
If you are used to eating salty food, you will also consider limiting excessive salt intake every day.
It is not recommended to diet during pregnancy, even for obese women, because slight weight gain is essential for the normal development of the fetus. Dieting reduces the nutritional supply of the fetus.
How much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy depends on her pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). BMI is the weight of kilograms divided by the square meters of height, which is used to determine whether the height and weight are normal. Women with the high body mass index gain less weight during pregnancy than women with normal or low body mass index. Women with the normal body mass index (18.5-22.9; according to the data of the Vietnam Institute of Nutrition) gained an average weight of 11.5 to 14 kg during pregnancy.
Too much weight gain will make you and your baby fat. In the late pregnancy, it becomes more difficult to control weight gain, so try to avoid excessive weight gain in the first few months. In the first three months of pregnancy (0-13 weeks), the total weight gain of most women should be between 0.5kg and 2kg.
Sometimes the weight gain of pregnant women is caused by the swelling of the legs or the whole body due to the retention of body fluid. This phenomenon usually occurs in the last few months of pregnancy, because when you lie on your back, the uterus begins to become very large, which will prevent blood from flowing from the legs to the heart. Side lying, preferably side lying, lasts for 30 to 45 minutes, doing it two to three times a day, can reduce this problem. Wearing medical socks also helps.
Physical activity
Many pregnant women worry about their moderate activities. However, most women can continue to take regular activities and exercise throughout pregnancy. Healthy sports, such as swimming and brisk walking, are good choices. Yoga and other activities are also good, but should be carried out carefully to avoid damaging or contracting muscles, especially the abdomen.
Sex
Sexual desire can increase or decrease during pregnancy. Sex is safe during pregnancy unless you are vaginal bleeding, pain, amniotic fluid, or uterine contractions. In such cases, sex should be avoided.
Preparing for Breastfeeding
If you decide to breastfeed, there’s nothing you need to do to prepare your nipples during pregnancy. Squeezing or pulling on the nipple before birth can lead to a breast infection (mastitis) or even premature labor. The body prepares the areola and nipple for feeding by secreting less fluid that protects the nipple surface, usually in the last 1-2 months of pregnancy. If the discharge is abnormal like red or foul .. you should consult your doctor.
Traveling while pregnant
The safest time to travel during pregnancy is between 14 and 28 weeks. Travel time is no more than 6 hours a day. You can get helpful travel tips and information from your doctor, so it’s a good idea to discuss your travel plans with your doctor.
When traveling in a car, plane or other vehicle, you must always wear a seat belt. Placing the belt around the hips and under the expanding belly and placing the shoulder belt between the breasts can make wearing the seat belt more comfortable. The belt should fit snugly but not too tight to cause discomfort.
During any form of travel, pregnant women should periodically stretch and straighten their legs and ankles. Air travel is safe until about 36 weeks. The main reason for this restriction at 36 weeks is the risk of labor and delivery in an unfavorable environment.
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care focuses on recognizing and preventing problems that can complicate pregnancy. For example, pregnant women are screened for a variety of disorders, including
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Rh (D) blood group incompatibility (can cause hemolysis in infants)
- Urinary bacteria
- Genetic variation that may cause birth defects
- Fetal chromosome abnormality
- Preeclampsia
- Placental and fetal abnormalities (based on ultrasound)
Before (if possible) and during pregnancy, you should be given folate (folic acid) to prevent birth defects. Usually during pregnancy, you are also given iron to prevent anemia. Women are advised to stop using tobacco, alcohol and recreational drugs before and during pregnancy.
Articles translated and edited by Raul Atal Mittelmark
Doctor of Medicine, University of St. Louis School of Medicine, updated in May 2021, MSD.
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