BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW; EDITED BY BERNICE BORN
Pregnant women can get overwhelmed by all the do’s and don’ts of how to have a healthy pregnancy.
WiRED International offers a health learning module on healthy practices during pregnancy that takes the mother through all the stages of pregnancy and describes preconception health, what factors help or endanger a woman or her unborn child, prenatal care for mother and baby, diet and calorie needs, vitamins and minerals, appropriate weight gain and appropriate exercise.
The evidence-based module also covers the use of herbs and medicines, the value of good oral health and the risks pregnant women face from the environment. WiRED also explains the importance of food safety practices, such as washing hands and cooking meat completely, and what not to eat, such as unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses and smoked seafood that is not canned.
Since half of all pregnancies are unplanned, it is important that women maintain a healthy diet and weight in general. Eating balanced, nutrient-rich meals combined with regular physical exercise is the best recipe for good health during pregnancy. Also, drinking alcohol, engaging in substance abuse and smoking are very harmful to the mother’s and the baby’s health.
The majority of deaths suffered around the world by mothers in pregnancy and childbirth and by children under age five are preventable. WiRED believes prevention begins with educating women on healthy habits before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth.
You can download the modules mentioned in this story, and all 400+ of WiRED’s health modules, through WiRED’s Health Module Access Program (HealthMAP) by clicking here. This easy-to-use free program will enable you to create your own customized collection of health learning modules. You can learn more about HealthMAP through WiRED's animation.
Quiz taken from WiRED’s Healthy Practices during Pregnancy Module
WiRED’s Mother and Child Health Series
WiRED’s Mother and Child Health Series provides a 24-part comprehensive training program to assist families, caregivers, community health workers and others by offering information related to the following four topics:
The Mother and Child Health series will be used by schools, clinics and hospitals and nongovernmental organizations that help families prepare for a healthy pregnancy, delivery and the years of childhood up to age five. This entire program is available online, and it also can be downloaded for use offline through WiRED’s HealthMAP program.
WiRED embraces WHO’s maternal, newborn and child health principle, “Continuum of Care,” in which skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period prevents complications and allows for their early detection and appropriate management.