DRMC hosts pre-pregnancy planning and care class
DUBOIS – Deciding to have a baby is one of life’s biggest decisions. Every choice — even before birth — may make a difference in the life of the child.
That is why DuBois Regional Medical Center is hosting a pre-pregnancy workshop for the first time ever from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 19 for those who are planning or considering planning for a baby.
This class is for anyone who wants a healthy pregnancy and is planning to become pregnant within the next year or two.
It will be taught by Sheri Kizina, an obstetrics nurse for 14 years and prenatal instructor for the past seven years.
The workshop — Plan It, Baby! — is unique to the area. Not only has a class like this not been held before, but also it is part of a series of programs only offered by the Spirit of Women network hospitals, such as DRMC.
A recent survey of women ages 18-44 was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of First Response, sponsor of Plan It, Baby!, and RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.
The survey shows that 43 percent of women who have been pregnant did not know what to expect during pregnancy before they first got pregnant.
It also shows that 61 percent of all women believed that their reproductive health education focused on how to prevent pregnancy rather than how to plan for it.
“You plan for your marriage. You take a year or more to plan for your wedding day. You pay $1,000s to an architect for blue prints to build a house. All are lifetime events. Why wouldn’t you take time to plan and prepare for a healthy pregnancy?” Kizina said. “I can’t think of any event bigger than having a baby.”
Kizina uses the Plan It, Baby! outline, but she also adds her experience and knowledge to be more specific on topics.
The workshop is aimed at fostering a greater understanding of reproductive and women’s health.
Plan-it, Baby! covers many topics about how to have a healthy pregnancy, the optimal times for conception and what one should do to be healthy before getting pregnant, according to Kizina.
“It gives women an opportunity to seek education prior to planning a pregnancy,” Sharon Shattenberg, manager of obstetrics at DRMC.
“Taking the class will provide education for healthier moms which will to lead to healthier babies,” Shattenberg said.
“The best prenatal care is the earliest,” she said, adding that one knows when they are pregnant through early pregnancy tests, but also knowing one’s body.
The workshop teaches what health factors to improve before having a baby and what to ask one’s doctor.
It explains how diets and exercise can affect ones reproductive cycle and prevent birth defects.
The class isn’t just for women, though. It also focuses on men’s health, as well, Kizina said. The class reviews healthful habits for men. It discusses what medications and physical activities decrease sperm count. “Men’s health plays a big part,” Kizina said.
Another factor to be discussed is stress. “A stressful pregnancy is not a healthy pregnancy,” Kizina said. “One’s life partner has a lot to do with that.”
This class is especially good for the women in this area who have a problem getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy. They might have to go outside the area for fertility counseling, but this class will be a resource and a starting point.
Women interested in participating in the Plan-It Baby! can call 375-INFO.