Page 32 - April Issue

getting ready | food & diet

Conception and
your diet connection

Whether or not you maintain a healthy diet can
greatly impact your odds of getting pregnant.
Certain foods can increase your chances of
getting pregnant while others can lead to or
exacerbate problems in getting pregnant.

mother, baby & child April 2011 A ccording to Dr Mira Bajirova, Diet
Medical Director and
Consultant Obstetrics and Once you have established and
Gynecology at Euromed Clinic, women maintained a healthy weight, Dr
who follow a healthy diet and have a Bajirova recommends certain foods
Body Mass Index (BMI) of between you should avoid to optimise
18 and 25 have the best chances of your chances of conceiving, and
conceiving. “Research has shown that also while pregnant to ensure the
fertility rates are decreased in women health of the unborn baby. “These
who are either obese (BMI of 25 or include caffeinated drinks such as
more) or very thin (BMI of less than tea and coffee, certain types of
18),” she says and this is because seafood, undercooked or raw meat,
women who are over or under weight unpasteurised dairy products such as
are likely to produce too much or soft cheese, and alcohol,” she explains
too little estrogen, which may shut and vegetarians and vegans should
down the ovulation process thus also limit their intake of products high
lowering the likelihood of a successful in soy protein.
pregnancy. “Therefore before you
embark on having a baby, it is crucial Specific Foods
to stabilise a healthy weight by eating
a balanced diet and by following a CAFFEINE
regular exercise programme,” she Caffeine, notes Dr Bajirova, is
says as this will optimise your chances both a stimulant and diuretic and
of conceiving. If you are overweight, it has several side effects that do
losing between five not promote well-being such as
and ten percent of your weight nervousness, irritability, anxiety,
can significantly improve your irregular heartbeats and sleeping
ovulation and increase your problems. “Drinking five or more
chances of becoming pregnant, cups of coffee each day has been
says Dr Bajirova. associated with a decrease in fertility
rate and a cup of coffee an hour
before or after meal can interfere

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