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The most critical time to ensure a healthy pregnancy is before conception. That may come as a surprise, since it’s also important to get care when you’re pregnant. But being healthy before you conceive is the best thing you can do to have a healthy baby. Talk with your doctor about your plans, and ask them to help you:

• Quit smoking
• Avoid drinking alcohol
• Start taking a prenatal vitamin or 400mcg of folic acid daily
• Ensure any medicines you take now are safe for use in pregnancy
• Get screened for infections and ensure all immunizations, especially tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and rubella, are up to date
• Find a dentist and get a dental checkup

Some things you can begin to do on your own include:

• Avoid all over-the-counter medications (including herbal and high-dose vitamins), unless approved by a health care provider
• Eat healthy food, including lots of vegetables
• Exercise daily
• Ensure you’ve waited at least one year since your last pregnancy