Many Americans ring in the new year with new resolutions. If pregnancy is part of your plans for 2008, it is a great time to evaluate your choices in order to give you and your baby a healthier future.

Schedule an Appointment with Your OB/GYN
A checkup before you become pregnant has many benefits. You can get a prescription for prenatal vitamins so you can start taking them three months before you try to conceive. Mark C. Chames, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, says that pre-pregnancy checkups can help women improve their health as a whole, not just as it relates to pregnancy. He says those visits “help with identifying potential complications, so we can help women before problems develop.” (The University of Michigan Health System also offers preconception counseling to women with increased risk. See “High-Risk Pregnancy Counseling”.)

Why Weight?
In response to the epidemic of obesity in the United States, Chames is developing the University of Michigan Health System Center for Bariatric Obstetric Care. (Although many people associate “bariatric” with surgery, it simply means weight-related.) The clinic helps patients avoid the risks associated with obesity, which include problems with infertility, miscarriage, birth defects and diabetes.

If you start your pregnancy at a weight higher than your ideal, you will want to base your weight gain on your body mass index (BMI). Your BMI uses your height and weight to estimate how much fat is on your body. The pounds needed for healthy weight gain are determined by your pre-pregnancy weight. (See “How much weight should I gain?” on Resources page.)

Healthy Eating
Shannon Bebb, registered dietitian, University of Michigan Health System, finds that most of her patients are concerned about making healthy eating choices during their pregnancies. That means choosing whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy products and other calcium-rich foods, and avoiding concentrated sweets like soda. Bebb says that women often cut back on soda but start drinking lots of juice instead. She cautions women that they need only 6 ounces of juice each day to get the required amount of vitamin C. Any more than 6 ounces is adding extra calories. She says that water is the best choice for staying hydrated, plus it is calorie-free.