Chapter 1<br > Planning Your Pregnancy<br > Pregnancy is a major event. When it is planned in advance， a woman<br > can make decisions that will benefit both her health and that of her<br > baby. Good general health before pregnancy can help you cope with<br > the stress of pregnancy， labor， and delivery. It can also help ensure<br > that neither you nor your baby is exposed to things that could be<br > harmful.<br > Many women do not know they are pregnant until 5， 6， or even 8<br > weeks. About 2 weeks after a woman s menstrual cycle， an egg can be<br > fertilized by a man s sperm; it then moves to a woman s uterus and<br > becomes attached there to grow. These early weeks are some of the<br > most significant ones for the baby， because it is during this time that<br > ~he baby s body and internal organs are formed. Certain substances--<br > for example， alcohol， cigarettes， and drugs--may interfere with that<br > growth， whereas a healthy life style may help promote it. Preconcep-<br > tion， or prepregnancy， care can guide you in planning for a healthy<br > pregnancy.<br > A Preconception Visit<br > You may wish to arrange a special visit with your doctor to discuss<br > your plans for pregnancy. As part of your precon-<br > ception visit， you will be asked questions about<br > your medical history， any past pregnancies， ~ :， :~<br > and your life style. The answers to ， ，. ~ ， ，~ ~，，，<br >