Tips to Healthy Pre-Pregnancy Planning

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If you're thinking about getting pregnant, consider the following nutrition and lifestyle tips - for women and men - to increase fertility from Bridget Swinney's book "Eating Expectantly" (Meadowbrook Press):

• Conceiving is more difficult if you are underweight or overweight. Being close to your ideal body weight before you become pregnant can also reduce your risk of complications.

• Smoking is related to decreased sperm quality in men, as well as a higher risk of infertility and pregnancy problems with women.

• Women who consume over 500 milligrams of caffeine a day have been shown to take longer to get pregnant.

• When trying to conceive, men and women should avoid alcohol. Even less than five drinks per week has been shown to affect fertility.

• Women who eat no red meat and supplement their diet with mostly vegetables and salads can stop ovulating. Vegetarian eating should be closely monitored when trying to conceive. Make sure all the necessary nutrients are included in a vegetarian diet.

• Vitamin C and zinc are two nutrients that are essential for men and women who are trying to increase their fertility.

• Women involved in competitive sports may have to monitor their exercise and body weight and fat when trying to conceive. Regular exercise is important, but you may need to slow down extreme activity.

• Men and women need to avoid exposure to pesticides, herbicides, radiation, fumes from paint, extermination chemicals and glue, and high temperatures.

• Make a pre-pregnancy visit to a health-care provider and plan to follow a before-baby eating program.