| Most women are able to have children, and produce at | | | | able to give advice on this, and will recommend folic |
| least one child at some point in their life. A pregnancy is | | | | acid as give other nutritional tips. |
| great news for the father as well as the mother, the | | | | In the early stages of pregnancy the GP will assess |
| happy event brings a couple closer together, as they | | | | the woman's overall health and explain how her body |
| plan for the future and look forward to the eventual | | | | prepares for birth. The doctor will also do a full |
| birth of their baby. | | | | background check, which will take into account any |
| Most of us have preconceived ideas about birth and | | | | genetically inherited disorders in the immediate family. |
| pregnancy, so a visit to the GP is advisable once a | | | | This can be quite a stressful time for a woman and |
| pregnancy is confirmed or suspected. The GP can talk | | | | her partner, but it's quite normal to be worried when |
| to the woman about any problems or questions she | | | | the body is undergoing such upheaval. A pregnancy |
| has, and can advise on issues such as nutrition and | | | | calendar is a useful aid to help the woman understand |
| exercise. It's really important to maintain a healthy | | | | what is happening at each stage of the pregnancy, |
| lifestyle both before and during pregnancy, this for the | | | | and to prepare her for the birth. |
| sake of the mother herself but also for the baby. | | | | Although this can be an extremely worrying time for a |
| Prospective mothers need to stop smoking and | | | | mother, there are ways to overcome anxiety. Having |
| drinking alcohol as these can affect the health of the | | | | a close and supportive relationship with her partner is a |
| newborn baby. The weight of the mother should also | | | | big help, and it is important not to miss any medical |
| be taken into account -- an overweight woman may | | | | appointments as the pregnancy progresses. Most |
| have a pregnancy fraught with complications. The best | | | | women will find ways to relax and unwind, and will |
| plan is to adopt a fitness regime at the beginning and | | | | start to feel in control, only stopping to worry about |
| to stick with it throughout the pregnancy. A GP will be | | | | what to name the baby. |