Is Your Body Ready for a Baby? Take Our Pre-Pregnancy Quiz!

The Pre-Pregnancy Quiz—Are You Ready?

You may be mentally ready for a baby, but is your diet? This quiz will help you fine-tune your eating and health habits.

The following quiz will help you and your partner determine whether your diet and lifestyle are ready for pregnancy. Count the good health habits you follow:

• I eat at least 2 cups (500 ml) of fruit and 2½ cups (625 ml) of vegetables on most days.
• I eat a vitamin-C-rich food daily. (Examples include citrus fruit or juice, berries, papaya, mango, pineapple, melon, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, and vegetable juice.)
• I eat a wide variety of foods, including many types of protein foods.
• I do some type of aerobic exercise at least twice each week.
• I don’t smoke and I avoid secondhand smoke.
• I drink no more than one caffeinated beverage each day.
• I avoid taking drugs of any kind: prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbal preparations, or “street drugs.”
• I am at or close to my ideal body weight.
• I avoid exposure to radiation, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, PCBs, and other chemicals.
• I avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.
• I usually eat three balanced meals a day and watch my trans fat and saturated fat intake.
• I eat three servings of calcium-rich foods daily. (Examples include milk, yogurt, cheese, high-calcium vegetables, calcium-fortified soymilk or tofu, and juice fortified with calcium.)
• I take a multivitamin/mineral supplement containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
• I have a regular source of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and other omega-3 fats in my diet.
• I avoid drinking alcohol.
• I avoid eating raw milk, eggs, shellfish, or foods that are made with these. (Examples include homemade Caesar salad dressing, mousse with uncooked egg, and sushi.) I also stay away from uncooked sprouts.
• I eat three servings of whole-grain breads, cereals, or other whole-grain products on most days.
• I live a moderately paced lifestyle, get eight hours of sleep most nights and generally feel happy.
• I have not followed any drastic diets or had an eating disorder in the last three months.
• I am a vegetarian who eats no animal products, though I do take vitamin B12 and calcium supplements.
• I have visited my health care provider and discussed a future pregnancy.

How Did You Do?

Count your “Yes” answers and see how you scored below.

17–21: Congratulations! Your body is ready for pregnancy!
13–16: You’re doing pretty well; you have just a few things to work on for the healthiest pregnancy possible.
9–12:   You may need a few months to change your habits for the healthiest possible pregnancy.
0-8:      Oops! Your lifestyle may need an overhaul! Talk to your health care provider before trying to conceive!