4 Ways to Prevent Cerebral Palsy During Pregnancy

Mums Tips

Fitness & Health

Published on Friday, 16 August 2019 11:07

Last Updated on 16 August 2019

Monica Costa

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Cerebral palsy is a condition which affects your posture as well as your ability to control your muscles, causing issues with your mobility. There are various types of cerebral palsy, such as quadriplegic, diplegic, and hemiplegic. While a cerebral palsy diagnosis can be scary, the condition can be managed and prevented too. Maintaining a healthy pregnancy is crucial in doing the latter, helping to protect your child from infections and injury. With that in mind, here are 4 ways to prevent cerebral palsy during pregnancy.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Throughout your pregnancy, it’s only natural that you will want to do the best you can to stay at a healthy weight. Taking a look at your diet and making small but subtle changes can not only make you feel better but may also reduce the risk of your baby developing cerebral palsy. Make sure to incorporate plenty of vitamins and nutrients into your diet, ensuring your growing baby is receiving proper nutrition. Also, factor in plenty of proteins and vegetables as well as fruits and other healthy foods. Regular exercise can also be another great way to maintain a healthy weight during pregnancy.

Get Vaccinated

Before you get pregnant, it’s best to have your booster shots, which will reduce the risk of you getting sick throughout pregnancy. What you may not know is that there is some infection protection that you gain from your vaccinations that you will pass to your baby, making it more important than ever to stay up to date with vaccinations, such as the flu shot, chickenpox, and German measles.

Get Regular Care

It’s important that you see your doctor regularly throughout your pregnancy. With premature birth being one of the biggest risk factors for developing cerebral palsy, having regular appointments and addressing any concerns you have is crucial. Make sure that you follow your doctor’s advice and get your recommended intake of 400mcg of folic acid, helping to prevent birth defects and premature birth.

Stop Smoking

We all know how important it is to stop smoking, especially during pregnancy. Smoking will increase your risk of having a premature birth, which will result in low birth weight, another risk factor for developing cerebral palsy. Quitting tobacco can be incredibly tough, so taking advice from your doctor is important. If you need assistance and guidance, there are plenty of online resources that you can use on how to pack your habit in for good.

Seeking Help

If you have a child with cerebral palsy, ensuring they’re well looked after and supported can be challenging, making it incredibly important to get all the help you can. If you feel you have been a victim of medical negligence, you may want to look into cerebral palsy compensation claims. Barcan+Kirby have decades of experience in dealing with complex birth injury claims, such as cerebral palsy, so getting the right help and support can make a huge difference.

Whether it be maintaining a healthy weight, having regular appointments with your doctor, stopping smoking, or getting vaccinated, there are all sorts of things that you can do throughout your pregnancy to reduce the risk of your baby being diagnosed with cerebral palsy. And, if you feel you have been a victim of medical negligence, you may want to consider making a compensation claim.