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Health in pregnancy
A pregnant woman (and women who are planning to become pregnant) can maintain their health by:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet to make sure they have good nutrition and all of the vitamins/minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy
- Following guidance around diet in pregnancy, including the foods to avoid
- Maintaining good general health and avoiding infections (by following good personal hygiene practices, etc)
- Attending regular appointments for health checks and scans during pregnancy
- Following guidance relating to lifestyle choices in pregnancy – such as avoiding alcohol consumption, giving up smoking, etc
- Being physically active/taking part in regular exercise
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Sexual health
A person can maintain their sexual health by:
- Using protection when having sex, to prevent spread of STIs
- Using contraception when having sex, to avoid unwanted pregnancy
- Avoiding multiple sexual partners
- Attending regular checks for STIs
- Seeking treatment if they think they have any signs/symptoms of an STI, and letting their sexual partner(s) know in case they have also been infected (and in turn, infected anyone else)
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General health
Maintaining good general health is also important to our sexual and reproductive health – so, it’s always important to eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, get enough sleep, avoid infections and avoid harmful substances (alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, etc).
These factors all contribute to our overall state of health, including our reproductive health. For example:
- Certain health issues in parents have the potential to negatively impact the baby’s health/development during pregnancy.
- An unhealthy lifestyle can have a negative effect on fertility (the ability to become pregnant) – smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use and being overweight are all factors linked to infertility.
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Vaccines and screening
There are certain diseases that can also have a negative impact on fertility.
For example, cervical cancer has a very high chance of causing infertility in women. A woman can take positive steps to reduce her risk of cervical cancer by:
- Attending regular cervical screening appointments, to check for the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix.
- Getting the HPV vaccine (if aged 11 – 18) – Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus, and while some strains of this virus are harmless, there are some high-risk strains of this virus that can cause cells in the cervix to change and potentially become cancerous. The HPV vaccine prevents infection from both high-risk and low-risk HPV for at least 10 years.
- Being knowledgeable about the symptoms of cervical cancer and seeking medical advice if necessary.
It’s important for men to also check (screen) themselves for testicular cancer. The testicles are a very important part of the male reproductive system, as they produce sperm and testosterone. Problems with the testicles (such as testicular cancer) can reduce a man’s fertility. It is recommended that men regularly check their testicles for lumps, swellings or changes – most lumps are not a sign of cancer, but they should never be ignored…it is always best to have it checked by a doctor as soon as possible.
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Reproductive system
It is also important for both men and women to be aware of changes in their body and, in particular, their reproductive functions, in order to identify any potential problems and seek treatment. Many changes/issues won’t necessarily be a cause for concern or have any negative impact on reproductive health or fertility, but it is always worth consulting a doctor.
Examples of issues in relation to the female reproductive functions include:
- Irregular or absent periods – this can be a sign of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which is when the ovaries don’t release an egg every month (this can lead to difficulty getting pregnant).
- Painful periods – this can be a sign of a common condition called endometriosis, where small pieces of tissue grow outside of the womb (endometriosis can be very painful and lead to difficulty getting pregnant).
- Excessively heavy menstrual bleeding – it is common for women to experience heavy bleeding during their period and this is usually harmless (although it can cause great inconvenience in their day-to-day life/work); however, excessively heavy periods could also be a symptom of an underlying health issue (such as endometriosis or fibroids).
Examples of issues in relation to the male reproductive functions include:
- Testicular problems – as well as checking for signs of testicular cancer, it’s important for a man to be aware of any changes in the testicles as they may be signs of an infection. For example, pain, tenderness or swelling in the testicles could be a sign of an infection called epididymitis and, if this infection is not treated properly, it could lead to problems with fertility.
- Ejaculation problems – if a man has an ejaculation problem, this can affect fertility as he may be unable to produce sperm during ejaculation, or be unable to ejaculate altogether.
