If you are planning to become pregnant in 2021, protecting yourself and making healthy choices are more important now more than ever as we continue to face the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. January is Birth Defects Prevention Month. Here are some tips to help you have a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Birth defects are structural changes that affect one or more parts of the body, like the heart, brain or foot. They develop most often during the first three months of pregnancy, when a baby’s organs are forming. Birth defects can cause problems in overall health, how the body develops and how it functions. Common birth defects include congenital heart defects, cleft lip and left palate and spina bifida.
Your genetics, behaviors and social and environmental
factors can impact the risk of birth defects. Unfortunately, not all birth
defects can be prevented. However, there are things you can do to increase your
chance of having a healthy, full-term pregnancy and baby – and this month is
the perfect time to learn about them.
Here are six actions you can take:
- Protect
yourself from COVID-19. Stay safe and help prevent the spread of
COVID-19 by wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing. Remember
to check for new
guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to
stay safe. - Be
sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic
acid every day. Before becoming pregnant and
during pregnancy, take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms (mcg) of
folic acid every day. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy
can help prevent neural tube defects in your baby. Eat foods that contain
folate, the natural form of folic acid, such as lentils, green leafy
vegetables, black beans, orange juice and foods made from fortified grain
products (some breads and breakfast cereals) and fortified corn masa flour
(corn tortillas, tacos). - Get
a pre-pregnancy
checkup. Talk to your health care provider about
managing your health conditions and creating a treatment plan before each
pregnancy. - Stay
up-to-date on vaccines. Speak
with your health care provider about the vaccines you need during each pregnancy
to help protect yourself and your baby against serious diseases. Ask your
health care provider about when the COVID-19 vaccine will be available for
you. - Before
you get pregnant, try to reach a healthy
weight. Being overweight or underweight can affect
your fertility. During pregnancy, obesity can increase the risk of having
a baby with a birth defect and other complications. Talk to your health
care provider about how to get to a healthy weight before getting
pregnant. Maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes eating healthy foods
and regular physical activity. - Avoid
substances like tobacco, alcohol and drugs during pregnancy. Smoking
cigarettes can cause certain birth defects, like cleft lip and palate.
Alcohol can cause problems for a developing baby throughout pregnancy, so
it’s important to stop drinking alcohol when you start trying to get
pregnant. And using opioids while pregnant can cause serious problems for
your baby, like preterm birth and drug withdrawal called neonatal
abstinence syndrome (NAS). Women should consult their physician before
stopping or changing any prescribed medication.
To learn more about preventing
birth defects, watch this video to
prepare for pregnancy and your baby. You also can join our Twitter Chat on Jan.
26, 2021, at 2 p.m. ET by following @MarchofDimes on
Twitter and using the hashtag #Best4YouBest4Baby to ask questions.
