Starting your pregnancy in good health

You may want to make some changes to your diet, and it is also a good idea to check you are up to date with immunisations against diseases that may harm your baby if you are infected while you are pregnant (such as rubella). If you smoke, now is a good time to try and give up; for help with this, click the link on the left.

All women who are trying to get pregnant or are less than 12 weeks pregnant should take a folic acid supplement. This reduces the risk of your baby being born with a neural tube defect, a condition that can have a serious effect on your baby’s development and well-being. You can buy folic acid supplements at your local chemist or pharmacy.

For more information on how to get your pregnancy off to a healthy start, please click here to view the NHS Choices website. 

We run a specialist antenatal clinic for women with health conditions that can be affected by pregnancy, such as diabetes or high blood pressure – click here for more information.

If you are overweight, it is a good idea to lose some weight before you get pregnant. Raised BMI (body mass index) has been shown to be linked to an increased risk of emergency caesarean section in labour, increased risk of needing to be induced, increased risk of excessive bleeding after birth, and numerous other problems. We therefore strongly recommend that women try to normalise their weight prior to conceiving.

If you have any concerns about your health and getting pregnant, make an appointment with your GP to discuss them. Your GP will be able to advise you on issues like general health, weight, and any specific concerns you may have.