Things to consider if you want to conceive

Do you want to hold your baby this year? Are you newlywed and cannot wait to get pregnant?

Things to consider if you want to conceive;

1. Are you of AGE? There is less risk if you are above 18 years.
Biologically one is matured after menstruating for 5 years. So if one starts menstruating at 10 years old she is biologically matured at age 15.  However it is not advisable for adolescent to get pregnant because their bodies are not fully developed and need more nutrients to do that. if an adolescent gets pregnant there is high nutrient need first for herself and the growing foetus. this high nutrient need may not be met and put the baby and adolescent mother at risk. Babies born to adolescent mothers mostly have low birth weight- they are below 3kg mainly because they did not receive the needed nutrients to grow well.
Adolescent mother may also not have enough strength to undergo normal delivery

2. Are you TOO OLD? Risks are high if you are above 35 years
High risk of giving birth to Down syndrome children. Cases of down syndrome babies have been mostly recorded to be of women above 35years old. As a woman gets older the number of viable eggs for conceiving reduces. It is advised women give birth before age 35

3. What is your WEIGHT? Being overweight and pregnant (BMI over29) put you at risk to maternal hypertension, diabetes and caesarean section (commonly known in Ghana as “operation”). If you are so thin (BMI under 20) during pregnancy can make you baby weigh less when born

4. Do you have high NUTRIENT STORES in body? When your diet is not nutritious, your baby will not grow well and baby's weight will be small.
Poor diet, food which is not nutritious, also affects a pregnant woman’s health. It leads to anaemia (commonly known in Ghana as "low blood") which can cause a woman to die during child birth.
NB: It is important to decide when you want to conceive so you prepare your body, mind, money for the journey of a life time.