Preparing for Pregnancy

Planning a Pregnancy
Planning ahead and taking care of yourself before becoming pregnant is the best thing you can do for you and your baby.

Nutrition Before Pregnancy
You need about 300 extra calories a day to maintain a healthy pregnancy. These calories should come from a balanced diet of protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Older Moms, Healthy Babies
The fact is that most women in their 30s and 40s have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, you should do what any woman should do: Prepare for your baby with healthy lifestyle choices. Talk with your doctor about your risk factors and learn what you can do to prevent potential problems.

Pregnancy Over Age 30
Many women today are waiting until later in life to have children. In the United States, birth rates for women in their 30s are at the highest levels in three decades.

Genetics
Genetics is the study of the patterns of inheritance - how traits and characteristics are passed from parents to their children.

Types of Genetic Diseases
Genetic diseases are classified by type: chromosomal abnormalities, single gene defects, problems caused by exposure to certain substances, or a combination of these.

Overview of Birth Defects
A "birth defect" is a health problem or physical change that is present in a baby at the time he/she is born.

The Difference Between a Chromosome Abnormality and a Single Gene Defect
A person can have normal chromosomes in number and structure, but still have a disease or condition caused by a mutation in one or more of the genes on the chromosomes.

How Chromosome Abnormalities Happen: Meiosis, Mitosis, Maternal Age, Environment
Chromosome abnormalities usually happen as a result of an error in cell division.

Pregnancy Over Age 30
Many women today are waiting until later in life to have children. In the United States, birth rates for women in their 30s are at the highest levels in three decades.

When to Seek Genetic Counseling
A family history of certain diseases or disorders or certain factors affecting the pregnancy itself may be reasons to visit a genetic counselor.

Infertility
Many different factors and problems can cause infertility, including problems in the female reproductive system, the male reproductive system, or a combination of the two.

Infertility Risk Factors for Men and Women
Age, chronic diseases, and endometriosis are common factors for women. For men, they are STDs, toxic substances at work, and cigarette smoking.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Untreated, PID can cause infertility and can also lead to chronic infection or even peritonitis.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
This syndrome results from several related factors, including insulin resistance. This can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes and affect fertility.

Uterine Fibroids
Some estimates say that 20 to 50 percent of women of reproductive age have fibroids, although not all are diagnosed. In most cases, fibroids are benign.

Male Factor Infertility
Problems with the production and maturation of sperm are the most common causes of male infertility.

Endometriosis
Women with endometriosis develop tissue that looks and acts like endometrial tissue outside the uterus, usually on other reproductive organs inside the pelvis or in the abdominal cavity.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Women suffer more frequent and severe symptoms from STDs. Some STDs can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to both infertility and ectopic pregnancy.

Endometrial Biopsy
An endometrial biopsy is a procedure performed to obtain a small tissue sample from the lining of the uterus.

Hysteroscopy
Hysteroscopy is the visual examination of the canal of the cervix and interior of the uterus using a thin, lighted, flexible tube called a hysteroscope.

Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy is a procedure that utilizes a laparoscope, a thin flexible tube containing a video camera to examine the organs of the abdominal cavity.

Pelvic Ultrasound
Ultrasound, or sound wave technology, is used to examine the organs and structures in the female pelvis.