Healthy Pregnancy

• Folic acid or folate is important for brain development and preventing certain birth defects. Include 400 micrograms (or 0.4 mg) of folate in your diet or in pill form before you get pregnant and in the first three months of pregnancy.
• Foods fortified with folic acid include: leafy green vegetables, kidney beans, orange juice and other citrus fruits, peanuts, broccoli, asparagus, peas, lentils and whole-grain products. Folic acid is also added to some foods like enriched breads, pastas, rice and cereals.

If you smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs — STOP! Quitting is hard, but you can do it. Ask your doctor for help. For more information, see the “Take Care of Your Lungs” section on page 12 in this booklet.

Talk to your doctor about how your health issues might affect you and your baby. If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood pressure, monitor these levels as well. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about how to reach a healthy weight.

Once you get pregnant, you can’t increase your exercise routine by much. So it’s best to start before the baby is on the way.

If you haven’t had chickenpox or rubella, get immunized at least three months before getting pregnant.

Get checked for Hepatitis B and C, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV. These infections can harm you and your baby. Tell your doctor if you or your sex partners have ever had an STD or HIV.

Go over all of the medicines you take (prescription, over-the-counter and herbals) with your doctor. Make sure they are safe to take while you’re trying to get pregnant and during pregnancy.

your doctor will likely want to talk about nutrition and physical activity, what to expect during the birth process and basic newborn care. The first appointment usually takes the most time because it often involves:

• A full physical including a pelvic exam  
• Urine and blood samples for lab tests
• Calculating your due date

These visits help keep you and your baby healthy, and can help prevent problems during pregnancy and delivery. These visits become more frequent the closer you are to delivery and may include: 

• Additional urine and blood tests, including a fasting glucose test
• Blood pressure checks
• Listening to the heart beat of your baby
• Depression screenings

WHA offers the Maven Maternity program, where a personal care advocate is available to you (and your partner) through your parenthood journey, providing access to the expertise of specialists via video chat or messaging, as well as online resources and classes. Visit mywha.org/parentsupport.  *Check your plan benefits. Currently only select benefit plans offer this program.

• Proper nutrition and supplements
• Birth control and when to resume sexual activity
• Baby care, breastfeeding and immunization schedules
• Postpartum “baby blues”
• Sleep issues

• Get plenty of rest, eat well and exercise often  
• Rally your support system of family and friends
• Join a support group
• Monitor symptoms of postpartum depressions, such as mood swings, difficulty bonding with your baby and hopelessness.

WHA and Optum Behavioral Health can offer services to support new moms with postpartum depression. Go to Live and Work Well member portal: 

• Postpartum Depression