Professor Nguyen Duy Tai reveals 5 simple tips for a healthy pregnancy

According to Prof. Nguyen Duy Tai, MD. Ph.D. – Medical counselor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American International Hospital (AIH), it is reported that 17 – 18% Vietnamese pregnant women develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy due to insufficient awareness of maternity care.

Below are 5 simple tips on safety and nutrition for moms-to-be to stay healthy throughout the nine-month period, as revealed by Professor Nguyen Duy Tai:

1. Take special care of your health during the first trimester: The first trimester is the most crucial time for the development of the fetus. Moms need to avoid infections and do not need to eat much during this period.

2. Make sure you are gaining weight at a healthy rate: If pregnant mothers do not eat enough or just try to drink too much milk, poor nutrition can put their babies at risk of low weight birth. Conversely, putting on too much weight might raise the risk of health problems such as gestational diabetes or birth complications e.g. macrosomia (when a fetus is too large compared to the maternal pelvis) that needs an indication for C-section. In addition, being overweight makes mothers difficult to get in shape again after birth or more likely to develop diabetes later on.

3. More important than how much you gain is what you eat: In addition to gaining weight properly, moms should consume different types of food. Different pregnant mothers have different pregnancy diet plans and weight gain requirements. Moms should seek thorough consultation from their doctor on these issues. Many women try to “hunt” for DHA dietary supplements with a hope to have an intelligent baby. In fact, natural foods around us contain a lot of DHA. In addition, the intelligence of a child is contributed by a lot of factors e.g. good health, education, and the surrounding environment. It is important that moms have an appropriate eating and relaxing plan combined with regular maternity check-ups. The health of a mother and that of her newborn are intimately linked.

4. Start the maternity leave one month before the estimated due date: Whether getting pregnant for the first time or not, women should start their maternity leave one month before the arrival of their babies. Having enough time to rest is important for fetal development as the fetus can get more nourishment from enriched blood transferred from the mother. As a result, fetal weight can increase by 600 to 800 grams during the last month of pregnancy.

5. Be careful when getting pregnant again quickly after a C-section: Getting pregnant less than 1 year after a C-section can increase the risk of complications. Delivering via C-section leaves a scar on the uterus. During pregnancy, the uterus dilates and becomes 20 times bigger than normal. If you don’t leave your former scar enough time to heal, it could be damaged. In case you conceive again just less than one year after your previous C-section, ask your doctor for further consultation. In many cases, your delivery can be scheduled 2 to 4 weeks prior to estimated due date to avoid any potential risks.