PRECONCEPTUAL CARE

In a fundamental sense, healthy pregnancies begin well before conception. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that if the parents' health is good, or consciously improved before conception, many subsequent problems can be prevented. Given a minimum standard of living, preconceptual care is easy and can also be pleasant; exercise, fresh air and a healthy diet significantly reduce the social and health risks to the future child. Hereditary and environmental factors should be discussed by a couple when planning to ‘have a baby’ because both share the privilege and responsibility of being a parent. There is a close relationship between birth weight and survival: below a certain weight the lower the birth weight the greater is the chance of an infant being still-born or dying within the first few days after birth. In Chapter 11 the factors associated with low birthweight and the population most likely to be at risk are examined and the conclusion is that public healthcare and intensive education are the most effective preventitive measures. Governments should take the necessary measures required and give special attention to the education of young people so that they can exercise a responsible attitude toward their children and improve the lives of the present and future generations.

Nutrition is very important. Despite this importance the general public receives little education in this area, but, even worse, many doctors and paramedics are not sufficiently encouraged to master the scientific basis of nutrition. If the general public were more aware of or trained in nutrition, many disease states might be prevented or certainly more readily corrected.