The health of the mother-to-be during pregnancy is directly related to the development of the fetus. Keeping abreast of the latest research findings below will help mothers-to-be to have a smooth pregnancy in October. Especially for pregnant women with diabetes, more attentive and careful care is needed.
Advice 1: Seek medical attention if you are depressed
A recent survey of 9,000 mothers-to-be by the University of Bristol in England found that almost 1110 pregnant women suffer from depression during pregnancy.
Experts involved in this survey believe that it is difficult to determine whether a pregnant woman with a low mood is suffering from pregnancy depression because some of the pregnancy reactions of mothers-to-be, such as drowsiness, increased or no appetite, are very similar to the symptoms of depression, and the mood changes are more pronounced. People are paying more and more attention to postpartum depression, but ignoring depression during pregnancy, which in fact has the same chance of occurring during pregnancy and after delivery.
Tip:If a mother-to-be feels that she is always depressed but cannot find the reason, she should consult her doctor. At this point, family members should take steps to help the mother-to-be, such as making hearty and delicious food with her, going for a walk together, or going to a concert together, which can help alleviate depression.
Recommendation 2: Exercise 30 minutes a day
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Washington, D.C., recently published recommendations on exercise for pregnant women, encouraging mothers-to-be who do not have any high-risk symptoms to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Examples of appropriate exercise programs during pregnancy include walking, swimming, and indoor pedal biking.
Tip: It is best to seek your doctor’s advice before starting to exercise, and if your doctor allows it, even mothers-to-be who have never exercised before pregnancy can do so. Physical exercise can also help prevent gestational diabetes, but strenuous exercise should be avoided to prevent mothers-to-be from having accidents during exercise.
Advice 3: Don’t gain too much weight during pregnancy
A multi-year study found that women who gained too much weight during pregnancy were four times more likely to gain weight a year after delivery than those who kept their weight within the standard range, and that obesity increased the risk of heart disease, type 1 diabetes, arthritis and certain cancers.
Tip: Don’t indulge your appetite by thinking that your fetus needs more nutrition during pregnancy, but in fact, the calorie requirement of the mother-to-be is not as much as people think, usually only 300 calories more per day than before pregnancy is enough.
Advice 4: Eat less and eat more to reduce the risk of preterm birth
Experts have found that, under the premise of three meals a day, one additional meal in the morning and one in the afternoon is the most suitable for mothers-to-be. The survey also found that if the mother-to-be does not eat for more than 12 hours (including bedtime), the chances of preterm delivery of the fetus will rise by 30%. Experts believe that if a mother-to-be does not eat for more than 12 hours occurs frequently, a tension-causing stimulus is formed in the body, causing preterm labor to occur. In addition, chronic hunger can trigger a cascade of adverse reactions.
Tip: Mothers-to-be must eat a good breakfast and carry some healthy and easy food with them to replenish their energy in time.
Advice 5: No alcohol is safer
The previous health advice during pregnancy was that occasional small amounts of alcohol were fine for pregnant women, as long as they were not heavy drinkers. But a recent U.S. study of more than 500 mothers-to-be showed that even very small amounts of alcohol can be harmful to the fetus. When the children of these mothers-to-be reached the age of 6 to 7, scientists studied their behavior and found that the children of mothers-to-be who averaged one cocktail a week during pregnancy had three times more behavioral problems than those born to mothers-to-be who never drank. These behavioral problems included aggression, inattention, and learning disabilities, which are often symptoms of alcohol-related neurological disorders.
Tip:Experts believe that there is not enough evidence to date on how much alcohol is appropriate for the mother-to-be, so it is safest not to drink. If the mother-to-be drinks alcohol without knowing she is pregnant, there is no need to panic and she should promptly tell her doctor about the situation and take appropriate measures if needed.
Advice 6:Don’t give birth too late
Surveys have shown that hypertensive syndrome in pregnancy is occurring more and more frequently, with an increase of up to 40 percent in the last 10 years. Experts attribute this to the yearly increase in the number of high-risk pregnancies, especially among mothers-to-be aged 35 or older and those carrying twins or multiple children, because the risk of hypertension increases with the age of childbirth. In addition, for pregnant women carrying multiple children, the placenta grows to meet the fetus’ need for nutrients, which can also lead to certain diseases in the mother-to-be.
Tip:Pregnancy hypertension syndrome is characterized by edema and the appearance of protein in the urine, which can usually be detected in time if a careful prenatal examination is performed. Pregnant mothers should take the initiative to seek prompt medical attention once they experience blurred vision, or small dots or flickering lights in their vision often, headaches, and severe vomiting.