If you want a healthy baby, then start today....before you get pregnant. Early exposure to toxins, drugs, poor nutrition, radiation and infections can affect fertility. And since most tests can only confirm pregnancies at five or six weeks, toxins may have affected your baby.Studies show that only 5% of birth defects are cause by heredity or identifiable genetic mutations. An astounding 60% is marked as "unknown," influenced by nutrition and other controllable environmental factors. Here are some little-known toxins:1. Antibiotics and herbal supplements. Tell your oby-gynecologist what antibiotics you are taking, and never take any herbal pills without her clearance. Just because they're "natural" doesn't mean they're safe.2. Mercury. Mercury can be found in some kind of fish, so before and during pregnancy, limit your intake of king mackerel, shark, swordfish, tilefish, halibut and tuna to eight ounces a week or less. Smaller fish usually have less mercury, including wild sources of cod, herring, perch, trout, salmon and sardines.
3.Lead. If you live in an older home, or in an area that uses leaded gasoline or lead pipes, you could be at risk for lead contamination. To be save, use filtered, purified or distilled water.4. Pesticides. Pesticides, which contain cadmium, pose a real threat to the unborn. You can inadvertently inhale it, or eat food that's been contaminated by it. Eat organically-grown foods or thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables with a mild natural detergent, which eliminates about 90% of residual pesticides.5. Our own food. Would you put soft drinks in your baby's bottle? Then don't drink it during pregnancy. In fact, during pregnancy, never eat anything you wouldn't directly feed your child.6. Infections. Take precautions against infections like rubella (German measles), and toxoplasmosis (caused by parasites in cat feces).