here - Health Promotion Agency

as green, leafy vegetables and breakfast
cereals and breads with added folic
acid. (See symbol on this page.) To
make sure you get enough, you should
also take a 400 microgram (0.4
milligram) tablet every day. You can
get these tablets from a supermarket or
pharmacist.
If you already have a baby with spina
bifida, if you have coeliac disease, take
anti-epileptic drugs or are diabetic, ask
your GP for more advice, since you
will need to take a bigger dose of folic
acid.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Here are some things that are worth
doing before having your next baby.
Rubella (German measles)
Rubella can badly damage a baby
during pregnancy. If you were
not already immune, you should
have been offered immunisation
immediately after your baby was born.
Before trying for another baby, think
about having a blood test to check
that you are immune to rubella. The
blood test will measure if you have
enough protection (antibodies) against
rubella. Women with low or uncertain
levels of antibodies can be immunised
again.
Long-term medication
If either of you has a chronic illness or
disability and has to take long-term
medication, talk to your doctor in
advance of pregnancy about any
possible effects on fertility or
pregnancy. It may be possible to
cut down the dosage.
Diabetes and epilepsy
If you have epilepsy or diabetes,
talk to your doctor in advance. Good
control of your diabetes before
pregnancy is important to increase
your chances of having a healthy baby.
Medicines and drugs
These may endanger your baby’s
health. Don’t take any over-the-
counter drugs at the time you hope
to conceive without making sure
they are safe to take in pregnancy.
Addictive drugs will affect your ability
to conceive and, if you do conceive,
are likely to damage your baby’s
health. See page 148 for organisations
which can help you to stop.
Sexually transmitted infections
(STIs)
STIs can affect your ability to
conceive as well as affecting you. If
there is any chance that either of you
has been in contact with an STI, it’s
important to get it diagnosed and
treated before starting another
pregnancy. STIs, including HIV,
hepatitis B and hepatitis C, can be
passed on through:
• sexual intercourse with an
infected person, especially
without using a condom, and
some STIs can be transmitted
during sex without penetration;
•
HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C
can also be passed on by sharing
equipment for injecting drugs.
If you’re HIV positive, you could pass
the virus on to your baby in the
womb, at birth or by breastfeeding
(see box, page 54).
WORK
HAZARDS
If you think that there may be a risk
involved in your work, ask for a
risk assessment. If a significant risk
is found, your employer should take
reasonable steps to remove the risk
or prevent your exposure to it (see
box). If the risk cannot be avoided,
your employer should offer you
suitable alternative work on similar
terms and condition as your present
job. If no safe alternative is possible,
you should be suspended on full pay
(i.e. given paid leave) for as long as
necessary to avoid the risk.
Thinking about the next baby?
Foods carrying this mark
have added folic acid.
VAGINAL BIRTH
AFTER CAESAREAN
SECTION
The majority of women who
have had a Caesarean
section are able to aim for a
vaginal delivery for their
next baby. This depends,
however, on the reason for
the first Caesarean section.
Women who are thought to
have a small pelvis, for
example, may be advised to
have a ‘planned’ (elective)
Caesarean section next time.
Your GP, or midwife, will be
able to advise you. Most
women who are advised to
try for a vaginal delivery in
subsequent pregnancies do
have normal deliveries.
SOME WAYS OF
AVOIDING RISK
protective clothing
•
or dust
avoiding skin contact
•
avoiding breathing fumes
temporarily altering your
working conditions or
hours of work
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