• Preconception Nutrition
• Physical Activity

Tobacco: 
Cigarette smoking in the pre-pregnancy period can make you less fertile, making it harder for you to get pregnant. Tobacco smoke during pregnancy leads to very serious problems for babies. Tobacco smoke can also be a cause of miscarriage, low birth weight, complications and infant death. It can take time to make changes, so start before pregnancy. 

• Quit smoking and encourage your partner to quit. 

• If you can't quit, cut down as much as you can.
• Make a rule that you, your family and friends smoke outside.
• Don't allow anyone to smoke in the car. 
• Keep away from smoke-filled places. 

Alcohol and Drugs:
No one knows how much alcohol will put your baby at risk. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which can result in numerous mental and physical problems for the baby. Alcohol and other drugs can be a cause of infertility. Alcohol consumed in the early weeks of pregnancy, before a woman knows she is pregnant, can harm the baby. No amount of alcohol is known to be safe during any stage of pregnancy. The safest choice is to stop drinking before you try to get pregnant. 

Other drugs taken during pregnancy can also harm the baby. Talk with your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter drugs you use, even if they are herbal supplements. Find out if these medications can be continued during pregnancy. Contact a local addictions agency if you need help to stop using drugs or alcohol.

Motherisk offers information and counselling to pregnant and breastfeeding women, their families, and health care providers. They are the experts on the effects of alcohol, drugs and other substances on the developing baby.

An advantage of planning a pregnancy is that you can avoid any alcohol or other drugs while you are trying to conceive. That way your baby will not be exposed to harm before you know you are pregnant. 

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