Conception Countdown: Preparing for Pregnancy, Baby, and Beyond Before You Start Trying to Conceive

A generation or two ago, pregnancy care started about two months into pregnancy -- around the time of the second missed menstrual period. At that point, the doctor advised the mom-to-be that it would probably be a good idea to start eating properly, to cut back on her smoking and drinking, and to otherwise start taking better care of herself for the sake of her baby-to-be.

Times certainly have changed. Not only has our knowledge of what's healthy for mom and baby done a 180 degree shift. Today, we know that it's best to start planning for a healthy pregnancy prior to conception.

This is because one of the key periods of development for the baby occurs during the first few weeks of pregnancy -- before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. Leading infant and maternal health advocacy organizations such as The March of Dimes now encourage parents-to-be to plan for a healthy conception and a healthy pregnancy. There's greater emphasis than ever before on starting preconception health planning early before and involving both the mom-to-be and her partner.

This lens highlights some tools and articles on the The March of Dimes website that I have found particularly useful in my work as a pregnancy author and as a columnist for Conceive Magazine, and other pregnancy and parenting publications and health websites. - Ann Douglas

P.S. Check out these preconception and pregnancy tools at PregnancyLibrary.com.