Getting pregnant concerns

Getting pregnant undoubtedly changes you and your partner’s lives. Where once you only had to worry about yourself, being responsible for a tiny life growing inside you can feel overwhelming.

It’s perfectly normal to feel daunted by the task ahead, and most women worry about whether they’ll make good moms. It is also a huge pressure on the relationships around you, especially you and your partner. It is important to make time for each other while you are pregnant – your baby will become your main priority after the birth. Here are some of the top issues and concerns that might be on your mind:

Dieting while trying to conceive

Research has shown that if you reach your ideal weight six months before you plan to conceive, you can improve your chances of conception. This is because there are important links between body fat and reproductive hormones – if you are overweight or underweight you can cause a hormone imbalance that disrupts your body’s ability to ovulate. This means crash diets are a bad idea – the best option is to try to lose weight slowly. This may mean modifying your diet to include fruit, vegetables and drinking lots of water. When you become pregnant you will have to cut down on the alcohol you drink (perhaps even cut it out for good) so it’s a good idea to start now.

Will I put much weight on during pregnancy?

Gaining weight is as much part of pregnancy as cravings or needing the bathroom more often. It is inevitable that you will put on weight although it varies from woman to woman. Some women stay slim and just have a huge bump; others seem to pile on the pounds as soon as they see a positive pregnancy test.

A good guide to weight gain during pregnancy is to look at what happened to your mom during her pregnancies, as you’re likely to take after her. Most women put on something between 20 and 35 pounds but again, it does vary. It won’t be steady weight gain: you’ll put on about four pounds in the first trimester, then around a pound a week for the next three months and around 10 pounds in the last trimester. Research has indicated there’s a ‘one-two-three’ rule – if you’re overweight you will put on one stone (14 pounds) during pregnancy; if you’re a normal weight you'll put on two stones; and if you’re underweight you'll put on three stones! The good news is that most moms lose their baby weight within a year of the birth as long as they follow a sensible well-balanced diet.

See our pregnancy weight gain calculator, which assesses how much you can expect to gain according to your BMI (body mass index).

If I get ill, will it harm my baby?

Colds, flu and stomach bugs are probably the most common infections that pregnant women can catch, and although they can lay you low during pregnancy they rarely affect your baby. Pregnancy compromises your immune system, in order to prevent your body from rejecting your unborn baby – this is why pregnant women find themselves catching every infection floating around the workplace! Colds and flu are best treated with plenty of rest and fluids – check with your physician before taking analgesics or cold remedies. If you have flu and develop a fever, try a tepid bath to help lower your temperature. For a stomach upset, again, it’s best to ask your physician which treatments are suitable for pregnant women.

Should I take folic acid?

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, which is found in liver, leafy green vegetables and whole wheat bread. It protects your developing baby from neural tube defects such as spina bifida and new research also indicates it can protect against pre-eclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition of pregnancy. As such, it’s recommended that women boost their intake with a daily 400mcg folic acid supplement from at least one month before they conceive, increasing to 600mcg daily once they’re pregnant.

See do I need prenatal supplements? for information on other vital pregnancy nutrients.

Will I get stretch marks?

The red lines known as stretch marks may make an appearance on the parts of your body that see an increase in size, namely your breasts and abdomen. The reason that these marks appear is due to a breakdown in the natural collagen and elastin found in your skin as it is stretches. As collagen fibers reproduce to combat this process, the lines appear.

Not every woman gets them (if your mom didn’t chances are you won’t either, and dark-skinned women are less likely to get them too) but the bad news is that once they appear there’s little you can do about them. With or without stretch marks, the skin on your abdomen can feel itchy and uncomfortable as your bump expands, so keep it as well-moisturized as you can, though there’s no guarantee this will prevent stretch marks. Using natural products such as sweet almond oil, cooling aloe vera gel, or a pure medical grade cocoa butter, both products that most drugstores stock. Read our article on skin care for further advice.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.