Tips to ensure safe pregnancy

The maternal mortality rate in India is skyrocketing. The culture of going through pregnancy in a safe and healthy manner is absent in India. Women do not exercise and they do not watch their diet. They often resort to allopathic medication instead of adopting natural home remedies.

Here are a few tips on how women can navigate their pregnancy safely:

Anaemia

• Ensure that your iron intake is higher than usual. This will facilitate the formation of red blood cells and increase the blood in the body.
• Vitamin B12 & iron supplements should be added to the diet to help reverse the effect of anaemia.
• The intake of caffeinated substances should be limited as it can reduce the rate of absorption of iron.

Things to watch out for...

• Practise breathing exercises twice a day to maintain your blood pressure.
• Diets should be monitored and should be filled with vitamin-rich foods and iron supplements.
• Practice stress management. Don’t take on more than you can manage as your body is going through numerous physical and hormonal changes every day.
• Make exercise a priority. Practice stretching and yoga to ensure that the body remains strong.

Recommended diet

• Consume nutritious snacks, such as sliced raw vegetables, fruits, yogurt, cheese, sprouts, soya, milk and eggs.
• Eat at least four servings of calcium every day.
• Keep yourself well hydrated by sipping on iced water, lemon juice or barley water.

(The author is a senior consultant, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital)