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.

Nutritious Food to boost Nutritional status before, during and after Pregnancy

"Red Red" one of the many names of Beans and Fried Plantain in Ghana is very nutritious.

Beans contain protein which is needed for body building important for pregnant women because the amino acids that make up protein are the building blocks of your body's cells – and of your baby's body as well. It's important to get enough protein throughout your pregnancy, but especially during the second and third trimesters, when your baby is growing the fastest and your breasts and organs are getting bigger to accommodate the needs of your growing baby.

Don't forget to take an orange afterwards it contains Vitamin C which helps absorb iron in the beans. Iron is important for Blood formation and prevent Anaemia. In pregnancy iron is needed for expansion of Red Blood Cell mass, fetal iron, Placenta iron and to replace Blood loss during delivery.

These are some nutrient not all component and their estimated amounts:

Cooked beans (per 1 cup size) - Calories: 331, Fat: 14.9g, Carbohydrate: 36.94, Protein: 14.05g, Iron: 2.3mg

Fried Plantain (per 1 slice) - Calories: 68, Fat: 3.58g, Carbohydrate: 9.74g, Protein: 0.4g

Cooked Fish (per 28g) - Calories: 36, Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Carbohydrate: 0g, Protein: 7g

Eating Nutritiously for Safe Motherhood

Have you ever wondered what is used in development of a foetus or makes a foetus grow in the womb? The foetus require nutrients from the mother store of nutrients and it obtains its nutrient from the mothers daily nutrient intake. So imagine what happens to a foetus when the mother has inadequate nutrient stores?

Research has shown that cell division and tissue formation foetus occurs quickly even before pregnancy is detected. this means that if you are waiting to know you are pregnant before you eat well or take supplements it might be too late for you and the baby. The foetus might not have essential nutrients like Folic Acid (Folate) for cell division and tissue formation resulting in defects like neural tube defects, spinal bifida, lip and palate clefts. If the mother happen to have inadequate Calcium stores, which is needed for fetal skeletal development, the baby will draw calcium from the mother's bones which can result in the mother having osteoporosis (brittle bones)

Folates can be obtained from foods such as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, asparagusi, 'kontomire"(cocoyam leaves common in West Africa), dried beans and peas; okra, and orange juice, fortified foods with folic acid. Folic acid  can be with advice from physician.

Calcium food sources are    milk and dairy products, salmon, dried beans, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach and collards, almonds, sunflower seed.Calcium supplements are also available.

Folic Acid source