Nutrition during pregnancy planning

Nutrition plays a significant role in pregnancy planning, thereby determining the success of conception. It should be optimally balanced, composed taking into account the impact of certain products on the reproductive system of a man and a woman.

This type of diet can be considered a kind of therapeutic diet, the effect of which is aimed, first of all, at normalizing the metabolic processes occurring in the human body.

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How to eat right before planning pregnancy?

Nutrition when planning pregnancy is a topic that includes certain recommendations from medical specialists regarding a rational diet, which are aimed at the optimal balance of nutrients, vitamins and microelements necessary for the proper functioning of the human body.

Proper nutrition when planning a pregnancy is a very important issue for both partners, especially if they do not adhere to certain rules and restrictions in food intake. In general, such nutrition should be as varied as possible, since the body (especially the expectant mother) will need a whole range of useful substances.

A special place in the diet of men and women when planning conception is given to folic acid. Among the products that contain this useful element, we can note fresh greens, potatoes, carrots, peas, bran, cabbage, nuts, beets. Future parents also need to ensure that the body receives calcium in sufficient quantities, which is contained in dairy products.

It should be noted that the absorption of nutrients can be impaired due to intestinal dysbacteriosis, which currently affects up to 90% of the population of our country. For this reason, a pregnancy planning program should include taking natural preparations, such as Linex, the action of which is aimed at effectively restoring the intestinal microflora. Healthy nutrition is recommended to be supplemented with a complex of minerals and vitamins that enhance the action of nutrients that enter the body with food. It is necessary to ensure that when planning a pregnancy, vitamin complexes include vitamins E, C and P (rutin). Their action is aimed at strengthening the walls of blood vessels and preventing varicose veins, which very often develop during pregnancy.

Future parents will have to completely give up bad habits, as drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy are strictly prohibited. It is important to give up cigarettes and alcoholic drinks even before conception, as they significantly reduce the chances of successful conception and bearing a baby.

Products containing caffeine (coffee, Pepsi-Cola, etc.) are harmful to reproductive health. The fact is that caffeine increases the production of androgens in the body. Too much of them leads to androgenization: lack of ovulation in women, failure of sperm and eggs, development of polycystic ovary syndrome. The same applies to sweet products (cakes, pastries) with a high sugar content, the consumption of which causes a jump in glucose levels in the body, as a result of which insulin production increases. If this process occurs over a long period of time, insulin can also cause polycystic ovary syndrome - one of the most common causes of infertility in women. For a successful outcome of pregnancy planning, it is necessary to exclude from the diet of both partners foods containing dyes, flavor enhancers and preservatives, which negatively affect the viability of eggs and sperm, and also settle in the liver, which can again result in increased production of androgens.

Proper nutrition when planning a pregnancy is not the only factor that influences a positive outcome of conception. When drawing up a program to prepare for pregnancy, it is important to take into account another point - a positive psychological attitude of both partners. If the desire of a woman and a man to have a child is strong enough, then dreams will definitely come true!

Nutrition for men when planning pregnancy

Nutrition when planning a pregnancy is important not only for a woman who wants to become a mother, but also for a man. The production of testosterone in the body, as well as the development of viable, active sperm, depend on the food he takes. In addition, it is the man who largely determines the hereditary information of the baby, and most importantly, its gender: it is known that the conception of a boy occurs with the advantage of sperm with the Y chromosome, and a girl - with the X chromosome.

A man's diet when planning a pregnancy should, first of all, be correct and balanced, containing only natural products. In addition, a man needs to reconsider his lifestyle and established habits. A smoking man will have to give up cigarettes, especially smoking at home, at least a couple of months before the desired conception of a child. Medicine has proven that even when only one man smokes in the house, a woman inevitably becomes a passive smoker. It should be taken into account that if a man has had episodes of drug use in his life, he needs to consult a narcologist who will assess his health and, if necessary, prescribe appropriate treatment. Naturally, in this case, the period of preparation for conception will be longer.

In addition to quitting smoking, a few months before the planned conception, the future father should exclude alcoholic beverages from his diet, including beer. The fact is that even minimal doses of alcohol have a depressing effect on both spermatogenesis (sperm production) and male potency. A man must keep fit by doing sports and eating a healthy diet. At the same time, it is unacceptable to take any energy supplements or stimulants aimed at the process of building muscle mass, since these drugs have a negative effect on sperm motility, as well as their full maturation. Therefore, a man is recommended to eat foods rich in folic acid: green vegetables, cabbage, legumes, spinach, asparagus.

During the critical period of pregnancy planning, both partners should include vitamins in their diet, which include vitamin B9, i.e. folic acid. In addition, the diet of the future father should consist of products rich in zinc, which helps the body produce sperm and destroys abnormal sperm. Among zinc-containing products, we can highlight black bread, walnuts, figs, dates, and raisins. A sufficient amount of this useful microelement is also contained in almonds, cornflakes, and wheat grains. It is also important to increase the consumption of vitamin C, which has a beneficial effect on spermatogenesis. For this purpose, this man is recommended to drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice daily.

A man's diet when planning a pregnancy should be rich in proteins and include daily intake of milk and dairy products, eggs, chicken, and fish. It is recommended to increase daily water consumption to 2-3 liters in order to prevent dehydration, which can reduce the amount of sperm production. Regular water can be replaced with juices, fruit drinks, compotes, milk, and slightly carbonated mineral water.

When planning a pregnancy, a man's diet should consist of approximately the following:

• Meat (preferably ground beef and dark meat poultry).
• Whole grain products.
• Potatoes (boiled or in their skins) contain folic acid, which is essential for successful conception.
• Fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits (in unlimited quantities).
• Vitamin supplements (primarily folic acid, zinc, vitamins C, E, D, etc.).

Nutrition menu when planning pregnancy

Nutrition during pregnancy planning is the most important condition for successful conception of a child. This issue should be approached seriously, taking into account the recommendations of doctors. The main thing in the nutrition of future parents is a balanced diet and healthy food. During the period of planning the conception of a baby, it is recommended to eat a variety of products.

The nutrition menu when planning pregnancy, first of all, should be healthy, balanced and include:

• Vegetables, fruits and berries in any form (both fresh and frozen, in the form of juices, dried, canned). Their daily diet should be at least 5 servings.
• Dairy products containing calcium (yogurt, kefir, cheese, cottage cheese, whole milk).
• Protein-rich foods include eggs, lean fish, meat, and poultry.
• Foods with sufficient carbohydrate content include potatoes, bread, whole grain rice, and all kinds of pasta.
• Foods containing folic acid: greens, lettuce, cereals.
• Fish – at least 2 times a week: sardines, mackerel, fresh tuna and trout.
• Foods fortified with iron include red meat, whole grains, lettuce, green vegetables, and legumes.
• Foods fortified with vitamin C (both fruits, vegetables and juices).

It is necessary to be careful when consuming products or supplements with vitamin A (pates, liver, fish oil, etc.), since its excess can harm the unborn child. It is recommended to avoid excessive consumption of "fizzy drinks", drinks containing caffeine (Pepsi-Cola, coffee, strong tea), and also to limit the intake of cocoa and chocolate. Naturally, expectant parents should avoid fatty, smoked, fried, spicy and sweet foods, which will minimize the development of obesity and help reduce the risk of a woman developing early toxicosis during pregnancy.

An unbalanced diet has a detrimental effect on the condition of the expectant mother, provoking the development of vitamin deficiency and preventing the planned conception. Therefore, a woman's menu must necessarily include a complex of vitamins. For example, a deficiency of vitamin E in the female body leads to an insufficient level of production of the hormone progesterone, which is very important for maintaining pregnancy, especially in its early stages. A lack of this vitamin in the male body can worsen the quality of sperm.

There are currently many vitamin preparations, but it is necessary to select the most optimal one individually, by consulting a doctor. The best option would be to use vitamin and mineral complexes in the form of fortified juices, instant drinks, as well as balanced cocktails specially developed for expectant mothers.

Several months before the planned conception, future parents should remove from the table food products that contain dyes, flavor stabilizers, preservatives and other "chemicals". It is also recommended to completely abstain from drinking alcohol.

Nutrition when planning pregnancy consists of basic rules and recommendations of nutritionists, which are not so difficult to follow. Minimum - fried, smoked, sweet, maximum - baked, boiled and steamed food, daily intake of fresh fruits, proteins and fermented milk products, moderate consumption of surrogate products - these are the basics of healthy nutrition that are necessary for the successful conception of a baby.

Products that help you get pregnant

Nutrition when planning pregnancy should consist of natural and easily digestible products that contribute to the successful conception of a baby. Eating such products increases both the viability and quality of sex cells, which in turn increases the chances of pregnancy.

Products that help you get pregnant should contain slowly digestible sugars. They do not cause a sharp increase in blood glucose levels, leading to intensive insulin production. Such products include whole rice, whole-grain pasta, and bran bread. Products enriched with vitamin C have a beneficial effect on human reproductive function: fruits include citrus fruits, kiwi, apples and pears, all kinds of wild berries, and vegetables include bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Both partners need to add foods containing sufficient amounts of folic acid to their daily diet, as it plays a major role in the conception process. These include: cereals, fresh greens, asparagus, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, etc. However, it should be remembered that vegetarianism has a negative impact on the processes leading to conception. For this reason, expectant parents are advised to include foods containing animal proteins, including meat, in their diet. Protein consumption should be moderate, since excessive amounts can prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine walls or inhibit the early development of the embryo.

The partners' diet should include products containing sufficient amounts of vitamin E, which is found in vegetable oils: sunflower, olive, corn. As for the food additive called "soy", which is quite common these days, it is better to limit its intake to a minimum when planning conception. British scientists have determined that soy products contain a special substance called "genistein", which has a depressing effect on the quality of sperm, as a result of which sperm lose their motility and are unable to reach the location of the egg. This theory has reasonable premises obtained as a result of a number of studies on the mating of rats kept on a soy diet. Numerous experiments have shown that genistein is capable of destroying sperm before they try to dock with the female egg for fertilization. This medical discovery is associated with the name of Professor Lynn Fraser. Eating natural foods, according to the researcher, has a positive effect on the life of spermatozoa inside the female body. In this case, they can remain in the female organs in an active state for four days. However, if the diet is improper, including the consumption of soy products, the life span of spermatozoa is significantly reduced, sometimes they die instantly. Moreover, Lynn Fraser notes that human sperm is a hundred times more sensitive to the effects of genistein than mouse sperm. As a result of this disappointing conclusion, even minimal doses of soy can have a very negative effect on the fertilization of the egg.

One of the main methods of normalizing the weight indicator, which affects the successful outcome of conception, is considered to be a diet. Medicine has proven that it is more difficult for a woman whose weight differs significantly from the established norm to get pregnant. For this reason, she needs to start correcting her weight at the stage of pregnancy planning with the help of a specially designed diet. However, weight loss should not be done by fasting, but by combining a balanced diet with sports or physical exercise. High-calorie foods, except for flour products, should serve to increase weight: cereals, legumes, lean meat, milk, dried fruits. In any case, the diet of future parents should be balanced, without harmful fast food, products with preservatives and food colorings, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, as well as poor-quality food. In order to increase the chances of getting pregnant, it is recommended to include whole milk or whole yogurt with a high percentage of fat in the daily diet.

Products that help to get pregnant should provide the woman's body with all the necessary microelements and vitamins. Perhaps the expectant mother will need to include additional vitamin complexes in her diet, which should be prescribed by a doctor.

Nutrition when planning pregnancy should, first of all, be aimed at maintaining weight stabilization. It is also important to consider the diet, eating daily at strictly defined times. Such a regime will help prevent constipation during pregnancy. It is advisable to eat only freshly prepared food, thoroughly chewing each piece for better absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended to replace coffee and tea with juices, dried fruit compotes and fruit drinks. These simple rules, combined with physical activity, will help in achieving the main goal of both partners - the desired conception of a baby.