5 Pregnancy Risk Factors That You Should Be Aware Of
By Ali Paine 

Here is a list of 5 pregnancy risk factors that you should be aware of:

1. Alcohol - Drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome and may include symptoms such as low birth weight, behavior abnormalities and medical problems. Stop drinking as soon as you know you are pregnant.

2. Smoking during pregnancy reduces the amount of oxygen that the baby receives and increases the risk of miscarriage, bleeding, and morning sickness. Chemicals inhaled while smoking may lead to other health problems with the baby such as reduced birth weight, premature birth, and stillbirth are possible consequences. You should also avoid second hand smoke as much as possible.

3. Herbal Remedies - Be careful about herbal remedies that are not prescribed by your doctor as these substances may affect the development of your child. Many of these herbal remedies are not approved by the FDA so you should carefully research the product ingredients so that you know exactly what you are putting into your body.

4. Chemicals - Reduce your exposure to chemicals, especially pesticides in food. Whenever possible, try to eat organic produce but if you are not using organic vegetables then you can soak them in the kitchen sink with a harmless vegetable cleaning solution for 10 to 20 minutes to remove the pesticides.

5. Caffeine - The FDA warns against caffeine consumption during pregnancy and suggests quitting or reducing consumption as much as possible. Be careful if you choose to drink decaffeinated coffee because some producers add chemicals to remove the caffeine. It is better to gradually reduce the amount consumed to minimize the headaches that sometimes occur when you quit cold turkey.

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