
While recently researching childhood obesity and its links to pregnancy, I realised – as I trawled through the evidence – that there are many conditions occurring in childhood that can be attributed to what goes on during pregnancy.
So this forced me to ask some questions:
- How much of what influences fertility and infant outcomes is due to the lives we live?
- Are we taking the event of pregnancy seriously enough? Particularly in relation to the future health of our children?
Here are some examples that quickly come to mind. Some of you would already know about these if you’re about to conceive or are pregnant.
- Folic acid deficiency in mother linked with neural tube defects in fetus from 4 weeks gestational age
- Iodine deficiency during pregnancy linked with reduced IQ in children
- DHA (omega 3) deficiency in pregnancy and breast-feeding linked with increased risk of poor eye health and cognitive function in children
- High stress levels linked with disruption of the female reproductive cycle affecting fertility
- Vitamin D deficiency in mother during pregnancy linked with gestational diabetes
- Increased exposure to chemicals and heavy metals during pregnancy may affect brain function in the child later in life
- Living near a major busy road linked with preterm labour
Our bodies have an incredible ability to conceive and support the development of new life for 9 months, but maybe our Western lives are influencing the best possible outcomes for our future generations, contributing to increasing rates of infertility.
The above list of examples is representative of a woman living in the modern world: stressed, worn out, deficient and exposed to harmful toxins – all of which are the result of the modern lifestyles we live.
So what do we do about it?
Get back to basics: Fresh organic vegetables, clean fresh fish, unprocessed foods, whole grains, more time outdoors, get enough sleep, reduce intake of stimulants such as caffeine and sugar, take regular moments for peace and stillness, laugh more.
It doesn’t need to be hard. The beauty of getting back to basics is its simplicity. Then conception, a healthy pregnancy and a healthy newborn and future child are all much more likely.
Did you reassess your lifestyle and diet for the better and then found conception easier?