Before your pregnancy A 90-day guide for couples on how to prepare for a healthy conception

Review by Booklist Review

Many women with risk factors from age to medical conditions to genetic histories take advantage of pre-pregnancy counseling to ensure their health and that of their not-yet-conceived children. Ogle, a registered dietitian and exercise physiologist, and Mazzulo, a practicing OB-GYN, offer a revised edition of their guidebook for all women, at-risk or not, to ensure healthy pregnancies and babies. Drawing on the latest research on preconception health care, the authors offer 12 steps for women to optimize their health before conception, new body-weight guidelines, and preconception menu planning. The book also focuses on men's health and the issues that may affect the ability to conceive. The authors tackle everything from urban myths about pregnancy to the latest on technology and natural herbs and supplements, as well as new safety information on mercury and fish. Advice ranges from the basic (avoiding alcohol and tobacco and checking for environmental hazards in the home) to the more complex (getting fertility treatments). This is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide for couples who want to get pregnant.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this revised and expanded edition, Ogle, a registered dietician, exercise physiologist, and personal trainer, and Mazzullo, a practicing ob-gyn and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Medical School, urge couples considering pregnancy not just to conceive but to "preconceive." According to the authors, the 90-day period before conception is a critical time for couples to assess emotional, financial, environmental, gynecologic, genetic, nutritional, and physical preparedness. In this edition, they've added, among other things, a section called "twelve steps to a welcoming womb," new research on blood sugar control, updates on herbs and supplements, a pre-conception menu, expanded gynecological and men's health sections, and a new chapter on infertility. They cover the effects of such habits as smoking, drinking, drugs, and caffeine; address the work and home environment, nutrition, and exercise; and offer discussions of such practical matters as getting health insurance and travel ideas before baby comes. The sections on exercise and diet include not only general guidelines but also specific warnings (i.e., unpasteurized milk, Bikram yoga, and snowboarding are pre-conception "no-nos"). The authors present a well-rounded approach that will help parents-to-be play an active role in comprehensive planning for a healthy baby. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by Library Journal Review

This valuable pre-pregnancy resource should be welcomed by prospective parents. Ogle, a dietician, exercise physiologist, and personal trainer, and Mazzullo (OB-GYN, Northwestern Univ. Medical Sch.) recognized that while the importance of optimal health during pregnancy is widely acknowledged, relatively little information is available to consumers about the significant 90 days that precede conception. Stressing that preconception counseling is relevant for all couples, not just those who may be "high risk," the authors present clear and realistic advice about a range of subjects relating to the smooth delivery of a healthy baby. Among the topics covered are women's health and gynecological well-being, nutrition, fitness evaluation and exercises, men's issues, medications and herbs (which are "baby-friendly"?), and emotional, environmental, and financial issues. Interspersed throughout the readable text are numerous checklists, tables of important facts and practical advice, and patient vignettes. Parents-to-be who read this book will approach parenthood with increased knowledge and self-confidence. Highly recommended for all public libraries and consumer health collections.-Linda M.G. Katz, Drexel Univ. Health Sciences Libs., Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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It is every prospective parent 's dream to have a child who is happy, bright,engaging,and healthy enough to experience life to its fullest. Whether you are thinking of trying to conceive for the first time or have been down this road before,we would like to help you improve your chances of making this dream come true,just as we have for countless men and women under similar circumstances. In fact,it was nearly a decade ago that the idea for Before Your Pregnancy came into being.At the time,Amy,a registered dietitian,exercise physiolo- gist,and personal trainer,was working with patients and private clients who were pregnant --with or without complications --or within a year or two of having a child.She was impressed by their motivation and surprised by the number of times she heard the remark "If only I knew then what I know now,I 'd have taken better care of myself before I got pregnant."It got her thinking about why there wasn 't more emphasis from the medical com- munity on health during the months before conception.After all,the scien- tific literature was brimming with new information on ways women and men could prepare their body for conception and improve the baby 's health,actions that often only made a difference if begun one to three months before trying.Unfortunately,virtually none of this information was widely available to the general public. Determined to get the word out,Amy wrote and produced a video and accompanying booklet entitled Before Your Pregnancy that provided precon- ception nutritional and exercise advice.(Coincidentally,she became preg- nant while making the video,giving her a chance to practice what she preached!)One of the professionals who vetted the text,Dr.Lisa Mazzullo, a board-certified ob/gyn and assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecol- ogy at Northwestern University Medical Center,happened to teach "Maybe Baby "classes at her hospital,covering the same topic from a medical and psychological point of view.The response to the video and preconception classes was so great that we ultimately decided to pool our expertise and create the book you hold in your hands,a complete resource for couples considering having a baby. Most preconception discussions between patients and doctors --if they occur at all --are limited to "Begin taking your folic acid,and have fun!" The fact of the matter is,however,that there are many things you can do to improve your physical health and psychological readiness in the critical ninety-day period before conception.In this book we 'll help you to thor- oughly assess your emotional,financial,environmental,gynecologic,ge- netic,nutritional,and physical preparedness and provide detailed advice on how to improve in each area.If you follow our preconception guidelines, you will also improve your odds of *Conceiving more easily *Conceiving a healthier baby *Having a healthier pregnancy *Recovering more easily in the postpartum period *Decreasing your child 's risk for certain adult health problems You may be wondering why certain baby-friendly actions must be im- plemented in the months prior to conception.After all,until fertilization oc- curs,there isn 't even a baby in the picture.Well,the egg and sperm that will eventually become that baby go through crucial genetic preparations in the weeks before conception,and you want these to occur under the best circumstances.Because genetic defects do not all occur randomly,the pros- pect of having some control over this risk is immensely empowering.Also, consider that most birth defects --many preventable --occur between sev- enteen and fifty-six days after conception,often before a woman becomes aware that she is pregnant.Preconceptional readiness primes the woman 's body so the baby can Excerpted from Before Your Pregnancy: A 90-Day Guide for Couples on How to Prepare for a Healthy Conception by Lisa Mazzullo, Amy Ogle All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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