Have a preconception visit before you start trying to become pregnant so your risks for various diseases can be assessed, screening and diagnosis carried out, and treatment initiated whenever possible before you are pregnant Have a blood test to see if you are immune to rubella, varicella, and toxoplasmosis before pregnancy or very early on. If you are not immune, follow these guidelines strictly: Before you are pregnant, be vaccinated against rubella and wait 28 days to get pregnant or have the vaccine in the postpartum period-before your next pregnancy. You can breast-feed if you are vaccinated right after birth.
Be tested for syphilis and, if indicated, Lyme disease, before pregnancy or as soon as possible in pregnancy. Get treatment if necessary as soon as a diagnosis is made. Hepatitis B If you live in a household with someone who has hepatitis B, work in a job that exposes you to blood, share needles for injecting drugs, or have sex with an infected person, be tested for hepatitis B before or during pregnancy. If you have recently immigrated from a country where this disease is very common, such as some Asian countries, also consider having the test for hepatitis B, If you are not immune to hepatitis B, consider being vaccinated before you get pregnant The vaccinations are given in a series of three injections, so several months will pass before you can try to get pregnant once you start the series. Toxoplasmosis Before you plan to conceive - Have a blood test to see if you are immune to toxoplasmosis, If you are not or don't know whether you are immune, follow these guidelines, Avoid changing the cat litter during pregnancy or use gloves if you must do so, Wash your hands thoroughly with warm soap and water after handling the cat litter.
The biggest danger of toxoplasmosis is from the excrement of kittens, Since it takes at least 2 days for toxoplasmosis in cat feces to become infectious at room temperature, changing the litter every day is a good protective measure. Do not allow your 'cat to go outdoors where its chance of acquiring toxoplasmosis is increased, Do not feed raw meat to your cat Feed it dry or canned cat food, Do not take a stray cat or kitten into your home if you are pregnant Avoid contact with any cat that might have been fed raw meat or might have been an outdoor cat Safe Food Handling Avoid eating raw or rare meat in pregnancy. Cook eggs well and do not drink unpasteurized milk and milk products.
Cook meat thoroughly-until it is no longer pink in the center or until the juices run clear. Do not taste meat before it is completely cooked. Wash hands thoroughly with hot soap and water after handling raw meat and before eating. Avoid touching your eyes and lips while preparing uncooked meat. Wash cutting boards, the sink, utensils, and counters well after meat has been on them.
Use hot soapy water. Wash fruits and vegetables well before eating them. Clean your refrigerator regularly. Use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure that the refrigerator always stays at 40 F or below. Wear gloves for garden work and wash your hands well with soap and water after touching sailor sand.
Foods to Avoid Do not eat hot dogs, luncheon meats, or deli meats unless they are reheated until steaming hot. Do not eat soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican-style cheeses such as queso blanco fresco. Hard cheeses, semisoft cheeses such as mozzarella, pasteurized processed cheese slices and spreads, cream cheese, and cottage cheese can be safely consumed. Do not eat refrigerated pate or meat spreads.
Canned or shelf-stable pate and meat spreads can be eaten. Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood unless it is an ingredient in a cooked dish such as a casserole. Examples of refrigerated smoked seafood include salmon, trout, whitefish cod, tuna, and mackerel which are most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." This fish is found in the refrigerated section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delicatessens.
Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk. Use all perishable items that are precooked or ready-toeat as soon as possible. Highly Infectious Diseases Stay away from anyone who has a fever or rash or known German measles, chicken pox, or Fifth disease.
If you are exposed to chicken pox, call your physician or midwife so you can be tested for immunity, and if not immune, receive an injection of antibodies within 96 hours after the exposure. 9.Lyme Disease In wooded areas or areas with tall grass, wear long sleeves, shirts tucked into pants, and long pants tucked into socks, Wear light-colored clothing to help you see ticks.
Walk in the center of trails and avoid overhanging grass and bush, Keep the grass short in your own area, especially in the eastern U.S., where most transmission of Lyme disease occurs near the home. Remove plants that attract deer (they carry ticks) and put up barriers to keep deer away from your home .
If you have been bitten by a tick or develop a rash with a clear center, like a bull's-eye, inform your physician or midwife, as Lyme disease is treatable with antibiotics. HIV Test Have an HIV test before pregnancy, or early in the course of pregnancy. Ask your partner to be tested as well, as it takes up to 6 months for you to show a positive result if you were recently infected. If you are HIV positive, consider treatment during pregnancy and labor and treatment for the newborn. Discuss this fully and carefully with your provider.
Practice safer sex. This means using a condom even during pregnancy unless you are certain that you and your partner are disease free, are both monogamous, and don't use intravenous drugs. Do not breast-feed if you are HIV-positive .
Know about presumptive signs or earliest evidence of pregnancy and get info on diet and nutrition supplements necessary for pregnant womens. Get more detail on http://www.infantpregnancy.org/.
