Tips on Planning Pregnancy
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Women planning for pregnancy should get a health examination first. A mother's health condition can affect the baby, and so it is best to test for and attend to disorders ahead of conception, experts say.
Ildong Food Is, a baby food maker, suggests a few pre-pregnancy tests for those thinking about becoming mothers.
1. Hepatitis Test:
Hepatitis viruses can be carried into the fetus through blood from the mother. Many people are unaware of their infection and the best way to know for sure is to take a test and also receive vaccination once a month, three times before pregnancy.
Hepatitis B patients and carriers should receive an injection of globulin and get their babies vaccinated right after birth.
2. Syphilis Test:
Because it is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) many people here consider it a "secret disease" and are reluctant to get tested for it. However, carriers of the disease can protect their babies from infection if the mothers get treated 14 weeks before conception.
Mothers-to-be who are infected with the syphilis virus are at risk to suffer miscarriages. The babies are also at risk to suffer from various mental, intellectual and hearing disorders, underdevelopment, Hutchison's disease and others.
3. Anemia Test:
Women need more hemoglobin than men because of monthly menstruation. Moreover, considering that fetuses need a lot of hemoglobin to make up their own blood, the anemia test is essential for pregnancy planning. If not treated, women sometimes suffer from lack of blood during labor and may need a blood transfusion.
4. Gum and Teeth Test:
Hormonal changes during pregnancy affect the condition of teeth. Some minor disorders can be fixed during pregnancy, but gum treatments and some others requiring drugs can affect the fetus. Cavity and gum condition should be checked out before pregnancy, as such disorders can result in heart and renal disease in mothers, medical experts say. Such conditions can carry over to the fetus, as well.
5. Rubella Vaccination:
Rubella is a disease that causes high fever, soar lymphatic glands and rashes. Only doctors can distinguish it from a serious cold. Risks for the fetus include cataracts, hearing disorders, heart disease and development disorders.
The government advises newlyweds planning to go on overseas honeymoons to get vaccinated. It is important to get vaccinated for the disease three months before conception because the antibody takes time to develop and the smallest trace of the virus can infect the fetus, experts say.