The importance of preconception care
Preconception care, or caring for and optimising your health prior to pregnancy, is super important, irrespective of how smooth or bumpy your road to conception may be. However, the fact is that most of the time, couples will turn to holistic approaches focusing on nutrition and lifestyle only when conventional routes have failed, and they don’t know where else to turn. I’m on a mission to change that.
So why is preconception care important?
In my opinion, the importance of preconception care cannot be stressed enough. Not only can it help to significantly improve your overall health and wellbeing and boost your fertility levels, but it can also help promote healthy implantation and a healthy pregnancy, whether you are trying to fall pregnant naturally or through assisted reproductive methods such as IVF. Plus, you're not only looking after yourself but you are also helping to lay the groundwork for your baby's (and their babies!!) health.
Intergenerational health
Did you know that the health of both parents at the time of conception influences the health of their baby, not just at birth but throughout their lifetime? Nutritional deficiencies, excessive sugar intake, high stress levels, lack of exercise, environmental toxin exposure and other factors have been shown to have a potential impact on birth outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight, but also on the health trajectory throughout the child’s life with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, congenital heart defects and hypertension.
Optimising nutrient stores
Pregnancy is a time for significantly increased nutrient needs. No surprise there really, considering you’re growing an entire new person! Spending some time (ideally a minimum of 3 months) prior to conception to build up your nutrient stores and get your body in the best shape helps to ensure that your pregnancy doesn’t leave you depleted in nutrients which are key for the health of yourself and your baby.
Egg and sperm health
We know that a healthy diet and lifestyle as well as targeted supplementation can have a hugely positive effect on the quality of eggs and sperm which is key for successful conception and implantation as well as a healthy pregnancy.
Supporting foetal development
We all know that an adequate intake of folate (that’s the naturally occurring form of synthetically made folic acid) prior to conception is important to help decrease the risk of neural tube defects. But folate (along with other B vitamins) is also really important to support a biochemical process called methylation which is crucial for effective cell division in the developing baby. It’s always best to consult a practitioner regarding the appropriate dose of folate for yourself as your needs may differ depending on your individual health history.
Restoring hormone balance
If you have a history of irregular cycles or hormonal imbalances such as oestrogen dominance, PCOS or endometriosis, nutritional and lifestyle strategies can help to improve your hormone balance and menstrual health to increase your chances of conception.
Addressing postnatal depletion
Pregnancy is a hugely taxing time on the body. If you have children already, you may be depleted in a number of nutrients (and sleep!) – restoring these nutrients and nourishing your body with preconception care strategies can help to increase your chances of conception and being in the best shape for pregnancy.
If you are thinking of starting or growing your family, why not get in touch? I offer free 30 minute calls where we can get to know each other and you can tell me a little bit more about you and what you are hoping to achieve. I’d love to chat to you, simply email me at hello@sarahnash.co.uk
Comentarios