Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Eat a well-balanced diet following Canada’s food guide.
- Take a prenatal vitamin containing 0.4 – 1.0mg of folic acid for 3 months before you plan to become pregnant and throughout your pregnancy.
- Exercise in moderation.
- Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.
- Avoid alcohol of any kind. There is no safe amount of alcohol in pregnancy.
- If you are having difficulty quitting smoking or drinking ask for help.
We’re trying to get pregnant. Is it safe to drink alcohol until I know for sure that I’m pregnant?
No. You may be pregnant for several days before your first missed period. No amount of alcohol is known to be safe when you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. As little as one drink per day during pregnancy has been shown to cause behaviour and/or learning problems.
I’m on birth control. So there’s nothing to worry about, right?
Half of all pregnancies are unplanned. Even more surprisingly, 50% of unplanned pregnancies occur in women using some for of contraception. If you forget a pill or have unprotected sex even just once, you are at risk.
