Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
A healthy pregnancy starts with a healthy you before you become pregnant. At Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, we recommend that you meet with one of our Ob/Gyns or certified nurse midwife before starting your family. This is a good time to review your medical history and any concerns you may have. You can also discuss the possibility of genetic counseling, particularly if either you or your partner has any family history of birth defects or recessive disorders, such as cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia.
Pre-Pregnancy Planning
If you’re hoping to become pregnant, there are several things you can do beforehand to better prepare your body for pregnancy, including
- Taking a daily multi-vitamin or prenatal vitamin with folic acid
- Eating a well-balanced diet
- Avoiding smoking, recreational drug use and alcohol consumption
- Undergoing a thorough medical check-up to be sure that you don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions that may affect your ability to get pregnant
- Ensuring all your immunizations are up to date
Learn more about Pre-Pregnancy Planning.
Pregnancy Care
Once you become pregnant, good prenatal care is key. This means regular checkups with your medical provider, which will include routine blood work, ultrasounds, and gestational diabetes screening.
Learn more about our pregnancy care recommendations.