Health Promotion Project Questions

1. True or false: All women who could become pregnant should take 400 mcg folic acid a day.
-True
2. True or False: Neural tube defects such as spina bifida are mostly preventable
-True, they can be prevented if women take folic acid daily. During the first month of
pregnancy, your babys neural tube begins to form and will eventually become the brain
and spinal cord. Women should take folic acid on a daily basis because these defects
could form before you even miss a period and realize you are pregnant.
3. True or false: Second hand smoke can cause the same problems for your baby as actually
smoking.
-True: Second hand smoke can cause your baby to grow slowly and have a low birth
weight. Also, smoking during pregnancy can increase your risk of having preterm labor
and can increase your babys risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
4. If you are at a healthy weight before pregnancy, how much weight should you gain during
pregnancy?
-25 to 35lbs. If you are underweight, you should gain about 28 to 40lbs. If you are
overweight you should gain about 15 to 25lbs. If you are obese, you should gain 11 to
20lbs. If you are of a health weight but having twins then you should gain about 37 to 54
during pregnancy.
5. True or False: It safe for a pregnant woman to take care of her cat as normal
-False. Cat feces could contain a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. A toxoplasmosis
infection can be harmful to you developing baby. Make sure to arrange for someone else
to change your cats litter box and do not touch soil that may have cat poop in it. You
should wear gloves while gardening. You can also get toxoplasmosis from eating
undercooked meat so make sure all the meat you eat is fully cooked.
6. Preterm labor occurs if you go into labor before which week of pregnancy?
-37 weeks. Even if you do everything right during your pregnancy, you could still have
preterm labor. Although some risk factors of preterm labor include: being pregnant with
twins, having certain infections, having high blood pressure, bleeding in the second or
third trimester, being very under- or overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol or taking
street drugs.
7. True or false: Pregnant women should not eat fish.
-False. Eating fish during pregnancy is a great idea as long as you eat the right kind. Most
fish are low in fat and high in protein and other nutrients. Fish also contain mercury, some more

than others. It is ok to eat 8 to 12 ounces of fish each week that are low in mercury. These fish
include: shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish, and canned light tuna. Pregnant women definitely need
to avoid fish high in mercury like shark, sword fish, king mackerel, and tile fish. Also, make sure
your fish is fully cooked. Never eat raw or undercooked fish, including sushi.
8. What does it mean to develop a pica disorder during pregnancy?
-Pica is the practice of craving substances with little or no nutritional value. Some women
crave nonfood items such as ice, clay, wax, starch, or coffee grounds during pregnancy.
Eating these items can cause problems for you and your baby.
9. True or False: It normal to feel sad and cry a lot after having a baby?
-True. This is called the baby blues. Baby blues are feelings of sadness that you may have
3 to 5 days after having a baby. During the baby blues you may have trouble sleeping, be
moody or cranky, and cry a lot. If these feelings dont go away about 10 to 14 days after
your babys birth you should contact your HCP and check to see if you have PPD. PPD
last longer and is more serious than the baby blues.
10. True or false: Breast milk and formula have the same nutrition and benefits for the baby.
-False. Although formula provides your baby with the nutrients it needs to grow,
breastmilk offers more beneficial factors for your baby. Breastmilk provides antibodies to
your baby to help protect it from infections and allergies. Breast milk changes as your
baby grows to give baby just what he needs as he develops. Breastfeeding is also good
for mom too. It can help you recover faster from pregnancy and lose the weight you
gained. Breastfeeding also promotes bonding with your baby.
11. True or false: It is ok to have an occasional glass of wine during pregnancy.
-False. No level of alcohol use during pregnancy has been proven safe. Alcohol passes
through the placenta directly into your babys blood stream. Drinking alcohol during
pregnancy can cause your baby to have physical and mental birth defects called fetal
alcohol syndrome (FAS), low birthweight, heart defects, growth problems, and problems
with brain development. It can also increases your risk of miscarriage and preterm birth.
12. Do vaccines cause autism?
-No. This is a common misconception but in fact there is no link between vaccinations
and autism. Vaccines protect your baby against 14 serious childhood diseases.
13. What are the signs and symptoms of preterm labor?
-Contractions that make your belly tighten up like a fist every 10 minutes or more often
-Low, dull back ache
-Cramps that feel like your period
-Feeling that your baby is pushing down aka pelvic pressure

-Change in the color of your vagina discharge or bleeding from vagina

14. At what month of pregnancy should you feel your babys first movement?
-Month 4. Your babys first movements are called the quickening.
15. What are two of the most preventable causes of premature birth?
-Alcohol, drugs use and smoking
-Very over weight or underweight
16. How many dirty diapers should a breastfed infant have per day if they getting enough
nutrition?
-By the 4th day your baby should be having at least 6 dirty diapers per day