Unhealthy lifestyle during pregnancy is very dangerous to the development of baby before and after birth. It also destroys the health of the mother. It is therefore, essential to understand the benefits of staying healthy by avoiding certain unhealthy habits during pregnancy.

Things to be avoided

Apart from including proper nutritious diet, regular exercises and essential medications or vitamin supplements, a healthy lifestyle demands quitting of various unhealthy habits such as junk foods, smoking, drinking and substance abuse.

Junk foods: Junk foods including pies, cakes and burgers with excessive fats may affect the heart of the pregnant lady. Some studies also state that junk food raises the chances of miscarriage and obese children. It's, therefore, better to prevent taking such foods during pregnancy.

Smoking and staying around people who do: Toxic compounds associated with smoking damage the health of the unborn child and the mother. Even exposure to second-hand smoke effects the health badly. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid smoking and stay away from smokers during pregnancy.

Drinking alcohol: Drinking alcohol during pregnancy causes liver damage and many other serious health complications in the mother. Further, alcohol from bloodstream passes quickly to the fetus affecting its growth and development. Hence, encourage yourself to forgo parties and bars to escape from harmful consequences of alcohol.

Illicit or prescription drugs (without doctor's advice): Illicit drugs deteriorate the health of the mother and the unborn child. Many serious and fatal complications are developed during and after pregnancy if these hazardous substances are abused at this critical stage of life. Usage of the prescription drugs without doctor’s prescription may be harmful to the developing fetus and so, should be refrained.

Benefits of staying healthy

Staying away from the above mentioned practices assures a better health. It even promotes significant benefits to the mother as well as the child.

Saves mother and baby from infection causing microbes: Unhealthy habits like illicit drug use while pregnancy impairs immunity and rises the chances of anemia, blood and heart infections, skin infections, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. The onset of infections in the mother will be transferred to the fetus affecting its development. Being healthy by staying away from such dreadful habits and maintaining hygiene saves the mother and baby from infection causing microbes.

Avoids miscarriage and premature birth: Slowdown in the growth and development of the fetus due to smoking, drinking and substance abuse reduces the length of pregnancy leading to premature birth. However, miscarriage, premature birth and still birth associated with such habits can be prevented by staying healthy during pregnancy.

Lowers the risk of birth defects in new born: A pregnant woman habituated to drinking is more likely to give birth to a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a condition that includes serious defects like facial deformities, heart problems, mental retardation, low birth weight and low birth rate. Inculcating a healthy lifestyle by preventing the exposure to smoking, recreational drugs and alcohol also reduces the risk of these birth defects.

Lowers the risk of drug addiction later in child's life: Drug addiction during pregnancy may genetically transfer the same habit to the child. Hence, avoiding drug addiction bypasses the risk of inherited drug addiction and associated physical and mental health issues such as learning disabilities, vision, speech or hearing defects, sleeping concerns, attention problems, behavioral issues like hyperactivity and so on in the child.

Now that you know the benefits of staying away from unhealthy habits during pregnancy, make sure that you lead a healthy lifestyle to protect your baby and yourself.