Preparing your body for pregnancy can help you give your future baby the best start in life. If possible, it is best for you to prepare your body about 1 year in advance so that the changes in your diet and lifestyle have time to work and get your body into the best shape possible. If you have a medical condition, you should see your doctor at least 3 to 6 months before you get pregnant to consult about your health problems and adjust your treatment as needed. Even if you don’t have any health problems, it’s a good idea to have a thorough pre-pregnancy health checkup, which may include the following: 1. Medical history In addition to your existing medical conditions, you should let your doctor know about any genetic problems in your family (such as Down’s syndrome or cystic fibrosis disease). Also, you should tell your doctor about the birth control methods you are using, whether you have any ovulation or menstrual problems, and whether you have a history of miscarriage. 2. Cervical cancer smear Recall when you last had a cervical smear and if you are planning to have a baby the following year, you will need to go back for another one. Your doctor will not usually give you a smear test during pregnancy or within 6 months after the birth of your baby. 3. Urine test If you are at risk for a possible urinary tract infection, your doctor may send you for a urine test. Urinary tract infections are associated with problems such as miscarriage, low birth weight babies, and premature birth. 4.Blood test A blood test is done to check if you have anemia or other abnormalities. Depending on your family history of disease, your doctor may also want to check if you have sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, etc. Thalassemia is more common in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and other southern regions than in the north. 5.Blood pressure check Mothers-to-be with chronic high blood pressure are more likely to have pre-eclampsia and placental problems, so it is important to control your blood pressure before pregnancy. 6.Screening You may need to be screened for hepatitis B, syphilis, HIV and other diseases. Screening and treatment (and in the case of HIV, disease control) before you get pregnant will help you get through the pregnancy. Your doctor may also have you screened for chlamydia, bacterial vaginitis, candida vaginitis, etc. 7. Immunizations Many infections that can lead to miscarriage or birth defects can actually be prevented. A quick blood test can tell you if you have been vaccinated against diseases such as rubella. Although there is no evidence that rubella vaccination during pregnancy is associated with birth defects in babies, it is prudent to wait until one month after vaccination before trying to conceive if you need the live rubella (German measles) vaccine. This will give your body time to expel the virus from the vaccine. You may also need to consider the chickenpox vaccine, which could cause problems for your unborn baby if you get chickenpox for the first time while you are pregnant. If you’ve already had this common childhood illness, then you’re immune. You may want to add a tetanus shot, and also if you are at risk for hepatitis B, you may also want to get a hepatitis B vaccine. 8. Parasitic disease screening Parasitic diseases like toxoplasmosis are not harmful in adults, but can be dangerous to newborns and fetuses. Toxoplasmosis is mostly transmitted through cat feces or uncooked meat. A blood test is all that is needed to determine if you have had it or if you are already immune. If not, you need to be more careful and avoid eating undercooked meat and be more careful when handling raw or undercooked meat. When gardening at home, wear gloves and let someone else take out the cat’s droppings. However, if you have a cat, you are probably already immune, but it is also important to check if you have immune antibodies before preparing for pregnancy. 9. Take folic acid Taking folic acid supplements and making sure your diet includes foods rich in folic acid can prevent neural tube defects in your baby, such as spina bifida. The Chinese Nutrition Society’s 2007 Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents states that women of childbearing age should take a daily folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms starting three months before conception and continuing throughout pregnancy. However, if you have a family history of neural tube defects or other chronic health problems such as epilepsy, you may need to increase your dosage and take 5 milligrams (mg) of folic acid supplements daily. 10. Quit smoking, drinking and drug addiction There is plenty of evidence that smoking, drugs and alcohol are not good for either you or your future baby, and it is ideal to quit these addictions before you become pregnant. Your doctor may offer you a smoking cessation program to help you quit smoking before you get pregnant. If you drink or use drugs, your doctor may also recommend that you seek other complementary treatments to help you conceive a healthy baby.