A problem in pregnancy is not something many people think about until it strikes. At PHA, we prefer disease prevention over treatment.

 

Although there are some pretty scary problems that can occur, the good news is that many of them can be avoided or minimized with specific lifestyle interventions.

 

You can significantly lower your risk of miscarriage, excess weight gain, fetal growth problems, gestational diabetes, birth defects, gestational hypertension, cesarean section, and so on.

 

So, I want to tell you one tip that will go a long way toward helping you prepare for pregnancy.

 

Avoid soft drinks, fruit juices, and sweets.

 

You may have already known this and maybe you understand why you should avoid sweets in a general sense. They’re not healthy. But fruit juices? Really?

 

Well, take just about any “natural” orange juice off the shelf at the nearest grocery store. They’re often marketed as healthy because they’re made with real fruit, packed with vitamins, and have no added sugar or artificial flavors.

 

However, when you look at the nutrition label, you’ll see that some have more sugar than Coke! Even though it may be natural, sugar is still sugar.

 

No matter how healthy you are, consuming the amounts of sugar contained in soft drinks, fruit juices and sweets causes a surge of insulin.

 

Higher insulin levels are linked to a host of problems, including early miscarriage, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and excess weight gain.

 

Lower insulin levels are associated with better pregnancy outcomes.

 

So, one way to decrease insulin levels is to avoid sweets in general. Even natural, nutrient-rich orange juice! There are healthier ways to get your vitamins.

 

Consider how to incorporate this simple change into your life.

 

We wish you the best as you prepare yourself for one of life's most amazing gifts!

 

Dr. C