For starters, think about what you’re putting in your body. Cigarettes, alcohol, and many illegal drugs can raise the risk of miscarriage and other complications. If you use any of these substances, quit before you get pregnant. If you’re already pregnant, quit as soon as possible. Federal experts say there is no safe level of alcohol during pregnancy, and smoking has been linked to miscarriage and preterm labor. Staying away from secondhand smoke is a good idea as well.
Don't: Take Ibuprohen while trying to conceive & during pregnancy (...... shit shit shit shit shit. and more shit.)
You might also need to think twice before popping a pill for that headache. A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2003 suggested that taking aspirin, ibuprofen, or similar over-the-counter painkillers during pregnancy can raise the risk of a miscarriage by 80 percent. The study found no such risk with acetaminophen (commonly marketed as “Tylenol”), the drug that most doctors already recommend for treating minor aches and pains during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before taking any medications.
I'm suppose to have 800 milligrams 3x a day for my back. Like I ever remember to TAKE IT ..sometimes.. sigh. Guess I don't have to remember anymore... Or I don't NEED to remember anymore... Or Maybe I should invest in Tylenol.
Do: Drink lots of water (check)
Don't: Consume large amounts of caffeine... (check)
Other threats may come from unexpected sources. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2000 found that five or more cups of coffee a day doubled the risk of miscarriage early in a pregnancy. The link between caffeine and miscarriages is still controversial, however, and many women enjoy a cup of coffee now and then without any apparent problems. For now, the March of Dimes urges all pregnant women to stop drinking large amounts of caffeine, but not necessarily to give up coffee and tea entirely.
Ummm that caffeine one will be an issue for me someday!
ReplyDeleteThese are all good bits of advice. But remember that you don't have to hogwild crazy fanatical about following it.
ReplyDeleteA 100% increased risk in a scenario or syndrome that hits one in a thousand still only puts one at 2 in a thousand.
My generation was raised by people who smoke and drank and took asperin and all sorts of other "harmful" "risk elevators" and still sucessfully gave birth. Yas, the Boomers were a seriously flawed generation, so taking it to our parents' extremes is not a good idea - but we did manage to get born and functional (at least as well as our disfunctional unpbringings and personal misconduct allowed).