Preparing for Pregnancy: Key Steps and Tips from Experts

Social media influencers are increasingly discussing "trimester zero," the period before pregnancy when women focus on improving their health, diet, and physical fitness to prepare for the future. However, according to OB-GYNs and midwives at Intermountain Health, this content can sometimes be overwhelming, inaccurate, or overly complex. The most crucial aspect of pregnancy planning, they emphasize, is for a woman to schedule a check-up with a trusted provider if she plans to get pregnant in the next 12 months.

A pre-pregnancy checkup can help women identify any risk factors for pregnancy complications, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. These tests and screenings can be conducted before pregnancy to ensure women are aware of what steps they can take to improve their chances of a healthy pregnancy. For instance, women who know they have high blood pressure, diabetes, a heart condition, or other chronic health conditions like lupus are advised to see their women's health provider before they get pregnant. Knowing their family health history can also help providers identify any medical conditions that may run in the family.

Intermountain Health's Dr. Amelia Parrett notes that almost 41% of pregnancies are unplanned. "I tell my patients, almost 41% of pregnancies are a surprise. It's never too late to get information and start making lifestyle changes to improve your own health and create positive changes for both you and the surprise baby!" she said.

The organization recommends that women who are planning a subsequent pregnancy wait until their child is 18 months old before trying to conceive again. This helps their body fully recover from the previous pregnancy and may reduce the risk of premature birth. Women who are overweight or underweight prior to pregnancy may be more likely to experience health problems during pregnancy. It is recommended that they talk to their provider about the right weight to aim for before becoming pregnant and how much weight to safely gain during pregnancy. Their provider may check their body mass index (BMI) to help calculate the appropriate weight gain.

She advises women to eat more nutritiously and in the right portions during pregnancy.

Exercise is also an important part of preparing for pregnancy. Dr. Parrett recommends starting with walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps each day. "Find a type of exercise you like and talk with your doctor about what is safe during pregnancy. Body weight resistance training is especially beneficial," she said.

One of the most common pregnancy complications is diabetes. According to maternal fetal medicine specialists, diabetes is a significant concern, both before and during pregnancy. In the U.S., one in nine women has diabetes, and six percent of women who give birth develop gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. When moms have diabetes, it can lead to a higher risk of complications, such as high blood pressure or preeclampsia, preterm birth, cesarean delivery, or other delivery complications, since their babies are more likely to have a larger than normal birthweight.

A mom's diabetes also puts her baby at increased risk for preterm birth, birth defects, stillbirths, respiratory distress, jaundice, birth injuries, and low blood sugar. Babies born preterm may need to spend time in a neonatal intensive care unit or may develop diabetes later in life.