4 Disease Prevention Tips For Pregnant Women

4 Disease Prevention Tips For Pregnant Women : Children are a blessing, and what better way to celebrate this blessing than to have kids yourself? As a mother, you may be excited to welcome and hold your child in your arms. But before you get to that stage, you must monitor your health and look after yourself properly to prevent getting sick as your baby develops.

Pregnancies are an incredibly vulnerable period. Your body is going through rapid and extreme changes that directly impact your child. Hence, contracting a disease or catching an illness along the way can jeopardize your child’s health. Therefore, you must look after yourself well and ensure you don’t get an avoidable illness as your pregnancy progresses. Your health is essential, and for the sake of your baby, here’s how you can save yourself and your child from harm’s way:

Understand The Factors That Impact Your Pregnancy

Numerous factors impact your pregnancy. This includes your diet, environment, and the substances you introduce into your body. For instance, if the food and water you’re consuming are contaminated, it can lead to severe complications and health issues for your child.

Such was observed in women who drank water available at Camp Lejeune from the early 1950s to the 1980s. Camp Lejeune was an established marine corp base that also served as a housing unit for marine families in North Carolina. Unfortunately, the water available at this location was contaminated and highly hazardous to anyone drinking it.

Consequently, there were widespread diseases as well as miscarriages. The babies born also showed signs of birth defects that were painful to witness. The incident at Camp Lejeune was a clear-cut example of negligence and recklessness, which prompted numerous Camp Lejeune claims to be filed. Even today, if you or someone you know has been exposed to the contaminants in this area and suffered because of it, you might be eligible to file a lawsuit.

Submitting a claim may not erase the loss you experienced, but it can provide you with significant compensation that can help you and your child get treated. While the example may be small, it’s enough to inform you that a minute of exposure is all it takes to yield disastrous outcomes.

Therefore, as an expectant mother, become proactive in learning about potential elements that can harm your baby. Figure out what diet plan you should follow and the type of environments you should avoid. Go the extra mile by studying your family history to determine what aspect of your genetic lineage can harm the developing fetus.
Have Excellent Hygiene Standards

Good hygiene is the best barrier against many germs and bacteria waiting to invade your immune system. During the pandemic of 2019, the simple act of washing your hands was deemed the best way to prevent you from contracting this viral disease. Therefore, throughout your pregnancy, ensure you’re not compromising on the benchmark you’ve set for yourself.

You need to ensure you’re washing your hands carefully with soap and water before you eat, once you’re done with the bathroom, and anytime you handle anything filthy, like cleaning up a wash rag. At the same time, ensure that your house gets vacuumed daily and household items like towels, bed sheets, and blankets are changed weekly.

If you plan to go out, pack an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Hygiene is all about keeping yourself and your surroundings clean to prevent pathogens from thriving and building up in the atmosphere around you.
Consult Your Doctor Frequently

Throughout your pregnancy, your doctor is your best guide in ensuring safe and healthy delivery. Therefore, never skip out on an appointment, and stay updated on the health of your developing baby. If you have weak immunity, consider setting up virtual appointments to avoid exposure to severely ill patients. Likewise, before you extensively start medication like antibiotics, consult your doctor and follow their instructions carefully.

You may need certain vaccines, such as the flu shot, while pregnant. In certain cases, you may need to get the Tdap vaccine which prevents whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus. Your healthcare provider can best inform you of the vaccines you need. If you’re allergic to specific ingredients, let your doctor know. Some vaccines may contain allergens that can quickly become life-threatening for you and your baby if you accidentally take them. Anytime you feel sick or experience unusual symptoms like extreme nausea, tell your doctor and get treated before the illness becomes a full-blown problem.
Mind What You Eat

Your diet is an integral part of your pregnancy journey. But; if your meals consist of undercooked and poorly stored food items, you put yourself in harm’s way. Raw meat, unwashed vegetables, and cold cuts are the ideal Petri dish for pathogens to grow. You can only get rid of them by washing, cooking, and cleaning them properly. If you plan on cooking meat, ensure there is no noticeable pink on the inside.

Likewise, the meat should not smell or drip blood when you remove it from the stove. Red meat, like beef, requires longer cooking but products like poultry stew faster. You should ensure your food is hot and warmed before consumption; this takes care of lingering bacteria. Cold-cut meats like deli meats or sausages should be avoided since there may be traces of potentially dangerous bacteria like the Listeria monocytogenes on the surface. The same bacteria are also found in unpasteurized milk and cheese.

Also, rinse raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly with water. Fruits like cantaloupe contain bacteria around the peel, so you may need to wash them before you peel them. Don’t fall for marketing gimmicks such as fruit soaps or detergents; clean water is enough to freshen up the food items.

Conclusion

Pregnancy is an exciting time for any mother. However, this journey requires extreme care and attention, as there’s a high chance you may contract illnesses that can deteriorate your health and hurt your child. Dangerous situations like contaminated food, water, and undercooked meat can expose your baby to life-threatening pathogens, possibly costing their life. Therefore, monitor what you’re consuming and don’t entertain any food item you’re unsure of.

Similarly, you must take your hygiene standards up a notch and not allow bacteria or dust to linger. Furthermore, you should also contact your doctor and follow their instructions carefully to subside severe illnesses. Pregnancies are a delicate time, and the best way to protect yourself is to leave no stone unturned and consistently monitor your health for your and your child’s well-being.