Newsletter - August 2006
Why Preconception Care?
The food you eat, the environment you live in and the lifestyle you lead in the months before you conceive a child can have a profound effect on the well being of your baby. Preconception health care can help prevent miscarriage, premature and stillbirths, congenital abnormalities and has a better than 80% success rate in the treatment of infertility.
Research has clearly shown that every aspect of our reproduction is adversely affected in some way by our 21st Century lifestyle and living conditions. Studies have clearly shown that if both prospective parents improve their general health, and if they avoid many common lifestyle factors and environmental hazards in the months preceding conception, they can greatly improve reproductive outcomes. The most important improvement being seen is the physical, mental and emotional health of their child.
Large numbers of studies with animals show that when either parent is deficient in one or a number of essential nutrients, the offspring will be spontaneously aborted, or they will suffer from a variety of malformations. These malformations, which in the past were believed to be genetic, can be manipulated at will by inducing a deficiency or deficiencies in one or more of the essential vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, the nutrient-deficient mother will have a difficult and lengthy labour, and the way in which she nurtures the offspring will also be affected.
How soon should I begin Preconception Care?
Preconception care involves making sure that there is an adequate supply of all those factors that are essential to the health of your sperm and ova and to foetal development, and an absence of all those things that have been shown to be harmful.
The formation of sperm may take up to 116 days (just less than 4 months), and ova are susceptible to damage during their period of maturation, which is approximately 100 days before ovulation (just over 3 months).
So ideally, you both need to enjoy a period of optimum health for at least 4 months before any attempt to conceive. For some people, Naturopathic recommendations may take time to implement and you may have health issues that need addressing prior to these 4 months.
It takes two very healthy partners to make a very healthy baby. Ideally therefore, every aspect of the preconception preparation should involve both partners equally, for nothing will be quite as effective as both prospective parents being in optimum health.
During the month of June, Kerrin is offering $20 discount on all 1-hour preconception care consultations ($55 instead of $75).