I’m an expert and here’s what you MUST do before getting pregnant

THERE'S a lot to think about when it comes to getting pregnant.

Quitting smoking and drinking are usually at the top of the list for mums-to-be, but experts have now revealed the key thing you must do before you conceive.

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Before you even get pregnant, most mums are already aware that their overall health needs to be in a good condition to have a smooth sailing pregnancy.

Weight is a big focus, along with smoking status and any underlying health conditions that could make pregnancy difficult.

Medics in Chicago, US have now revealed that women who want to get pregnant should prioritise their heart health.

The study, published in the Journal Circulation found that heart health is often overlooked by women and that optimising it before pregnancy is key.

Dr Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of medicine in cardiology and epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician said the risk of heart disease in women needed to be highlighted.

She said: "As women, we tend to think about the baby’s health once we become pregnant.

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"What so many women don’t realise is the very first thing they can do to protect their babies (and themselves) is to get their heart in shape before they even conceive."

The experts found that more than one in two young women between the ages of 20 and 44 who gave birth in the US in 2019 had poor heart health before conceiving.

This is important as poor heart health puts both expectant mums and their babies at risk.

A previous study found that heart disease causes more than one in four pregnancy-related deaths.

Of the women analysed in the study, more than half had at least one risk factor for poor heart health.

These risk factors included diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

The experts found that the women who were overweight or obese were at most risk - with this being the most common reason for poor heart health before pregnancy, the study found.

Dr Natalie Cameron, an internal medicine specialist and instructor at Feinberg and a Northwestern Medicine physician said the study showed why it's so important for women to look after their heart health before they conceive.

She added: "Women with favourable heart health before pregnancy are less likely to experience complications of pregnancy and are more likely to deliver a healthy baby.

“Even more importantly, optimising heart health before and during pregnancy can prevent the development of heart disease years later.

"Clinicians can play a key role in both assessing and optimising heart health prior to pregnancy.”

In order to make sure you're in the best shape possible before pregnancy, the scientists advised that women should see their doctor or a medical professional before getting pregnant.

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This, they say, will help them to ensure a healthy lifestyle before pregnancy.

This involves staying active, eating a nutritionally balanced diet, avoiding tobacco and reducing the risks that come with being overweight such as diabetes and high blood pressure.